Howard names Bill Farmer as new envoy to RI

Veeramalla Anjaiah, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Australian Prime Minister John Howard named on Sunday Bill Farmer, the head of country's embattled Immigration Department, as Australia's new ambassador to Indonesia.

Farmer, one of Australia's most senior and adept career diplomats, will replace the present ambassador, David Ritchie.

The Australian Embassy's counselor in public affairs, Elizabeth O'Neill, confirmed Farmer's appointment.

"Yes, Bill Farmer has been named as Australia's new ambassador. Our prime minister announced this today," O'Neill told The Jakarta Post on Sunday.

Meanwhile, Deutsche Presse-Agentur wire service reported from Sydney that Farmer had resigned as head of the troubled Immigration Department.

Farmer, who joined the Australian Foreign Service in 1969, had been secretary of the Department of Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs since December 2001.

During his four-year stint, the Department of Immigration had been under spotlight for its stringent measures, some criticized as being inhumane, against prospective immigrants to the country.

It came under severe criticism recently when it wrongfully deported a sick Australian women to the Philippines. It also locked up a mentally ill Australian women for months in a detention center.

A government-appointed inquiry bombarded the department for the blunders.

But despite all this, Howard's trust in Farmer has apparently not dwindled.

"Bill Farmer has been a very loyal and professional and very effective person in the Department of Foreign Affairs, and he's also led immigration during a time of unprecedented strain on the resources of the department," Howard said when announcing his appointment.

Farmer, who has a Master's degree in economics from the London School of Economics, will take up his new position in Jakarta later this year.

During the early part of his career, Farmer served at Australian missions in Cairo, London and Suva.

He was moved to the United Nations in New York in 1984 with a designation of minister. He also worked as deputy representative of Australia on the UN Security Council.

Farmer has been ambassador to Mexico (1987-1989), Papua New Guinea (1993-1995) and Malaysia (1996-1997).

Prior to his position as immigration secretary, Farmer was the deputy secretary of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade in Canberra.

In recognition of his services to the nation during his 36- year public career, Farmer was awarded an Order of Australia in June this year.

O'Neill said Ambassador Ritchie -- who submitted his credentials to then president Megawati Soekarnoputri on Feb. 13, 2003 -- will be going back to Canberra.

"Ambassador Ritchie will be appointed as deputy secretary of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade in Canberra," O'Neill told the Post.