Canberra – June 2024. The Hon Consul-General of Tonga to Portugal, Anthony Bailey, paid a courtesy visit on the Acting High Commissioner of Tonga to the Commonwealth of Australia, Mr Curtis Tu’ihalangingie, at the Tonga High Commission situated in the Australian federal capital city of Canberra. Mr Bailey also met with High Commission diplomats and staff and later received a briefing on Tongan-Australian relations which were first established on 4 June 1970. In 2025 both countries will celebrate 55 years of diplomatic relations.
Mr Bailey also attended a meeting hosted by the Acting High Commissioner with representatives of the Australian Federal Government including the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
Both countries maintain a very close and warm relationship partnering across many areas. These include law enforcement and policing, maritime security, healthcare and social inclusion. Tonga has also been supported by Australia in its rebuilding and resilience programmes associated with climate change and its recovery from natural disasters. The largest communities of Tongans in Australia live in Victoria and New South Wales, with smaller groups in the Australian Capital Territory and Queensland.
Over 40,000 Australians identify themselves as having Tongan ancestry. Additionally several thousand Tongans live, work and study in Australia.
There are regular high level visits between both countries which have included successive governors-general and prime ministers of Australia to Tonga and visits by numerous Tongan monarchs and Tongan prime ministers to Australia.
Tonga has had two resident High Commissioners in Australia to-date resident at the High Commission in Deaken, ACT, which was opened in 2008. HRH Crown Prince ʻAhoʻeitu ʻUnuakiʻotonga Tukuʻaho served in post from 2008 until 2012 when he ascended the Throne as His Majesty King Tupou VI.
The King’s daughter, HRH Princess ʻAngelika Lātūfuipeka Tukuʻaho succeeded His Majesty in 2012 and served in post from 2012 until 2023. Mr Tu’ihalangingie became Acting High Commissioner of Tonga to Australia on 22 July 2023. Tonga also maintains a Consulate-General in Sydney, headed by the Hon Consul-General, Mrs Louise Raedler-Waterhouse.
For more information on the Tonga High Commission please visit www.tongahighcom.com.au
For more information Tonga-Australian relations please visit www.dfat.gov.au/geo/tonga/tonga-country-brief
