Jane Hardy

Jane M. Hardy is a former Australian senior career diplomat and Australian Government official. Over three decades, Jane served in seven Australian embassies in the Indo-Pacific region, the United States and Europe, four at ambassador level. Jane is a published author and speaker on policy and strategic matters. She has worked in-depth on shaping regional architecture in Southeast Asia, on strategic issues affecting Northeast Asia, advising the Australian Government on the Australia-US relationship, and influencing outcomes in multilateral organisations.

In the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade in Canberra, Jane served as Assistant Secretary for Western Europe, twice as Assistant Secretary, Strategic and Intelligence Branch, as Assistant Secretary, Arms Control Branch and Assistant Secretary for the United States Branch. She led and managed Australia’s positions in 14 global arms control treaties and regimes, delivered outcomes for annual AUSMIN consultations and worked with US and Australian defence colleagues on Australian components of President Obama’s ‘pivot to Asia’.

Jane’s overseas diplomatic posts include as Australia’s Ambassador to Spain, Andorra and Equatorial Guinea, and as Consul-General in Honolulu and envoy to the US Indo-Pacific Command. As head of the Australian Embassy’s Congressional Office in Washington DC she led Embassy outreach during the transition from President Bush to President Obama. As counsellor at the Australian Embassy in Seoul, Jane covered Australia’s bilateral relationships with both South and North Korea, made multiple visits to Pyongyang, and held regular consultations in Beijing and Tokyo. At the Australian High Commission (embassy) in Kuala Lumpur, she covered ASEAN affairs and the development of regional architecture.

During 2021, Jane was a USSC Visiting Senior Fellow focusing on strategic deterrence and has returned as a non-resident fellow and Chair of the Women in the Alliance Advisory Group.

Jane has served on the Australian Fulbright Board, the Women in International Security Advisory Board (WIIS-Australia), and as a guest speaker at the East-West Center, Pacific Forum and Australian-American Leadership Dialogues in Honolulu, the Australian Defence Force Academy UNSW, and the ANU National Security College.

Prior to government service, Jane held professional staff positions in Oxfam Australia, the Overseas Service Bureau and as a non-permanent lecturer at the University of South Australia. She has published on the topics of Australian indigenous art, overseas aid programs and strategic engagement in the Indo-Pacific.

Jane holds degrees from Monash University (MA), Flinders University (BA), University of South Australia (BA) and the Australian National University (Grad Dip Foreign Affairs and Trade).