Geoff completed a Bachelor of Arts with Honours in Political Science in 1987. His majors were in Politics and History. In 2010 he was appointed Australian High Commissioner to Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda; Ambassador to Burundi, Somalia and (from July 2011) South Sudan; and Permanent Representative to the United Nations (UN) Environment Program.
"I stayed in Tasmania for a year after graduation doing a variety of jobs, before moving to Canberra to work for the Department of Foreign Affairs andTrade.
"My first overseas assignment followed in 1990, and I have since lived in five countries - Austria, Papua New Guinea, South Korea, New Zealand and now Kenya - and visited over 70. The job has landed me in some extraordinary places: South Sudan on its first day as the world's newest country; Gaza during Yasser Arafat's return; Somalia and Bosnia in the middle of war; Bougainville and the highlands of Papua New Guinea; and UN headquarters in New York and Geneva for negotiating multilateral treaties.
"The University of Tasmania has been a great breeding ground for Australian diplomats over the years, including many well known Ambassadors and High Commissioners. The department takes a diverse range of graduates, but my focus on international relations and history in my degree has certainly proven useful over the years."