Quinlan appointed ambassador to the UN

(AAP) - The federal government is ramping up its efforts to secure Australia a temporary seat on the United Nations Security Council.

Gary Quinlan, Prime Minister Kevin Rudd's key foreign affairs adviser, will take up
the position of Australia's permanent representative to the UN in May, replacing
former Howard government minister Robert Hill.
A long-time diplomat and former Keating government staffer, Mr Quinlan has been
advising Mr Rudd on foreign affairs, defence and national security since 2007.
His appointment signals a shift in gear in Australia's campaign to win a temporary
seat on the Security Council in 2013/14.
Since coming to office, Mr Rudd has been eager to build bridges with multilateral
organisations like the UN, which weren't a high priority for the former Howard
government.
Foreign Minister Stephen Smith said a key pillar of Australia's foreign policy was
an active engagement with the multilateral system, with the UN at its core.
"The UN is focused on global challenges that no country can address alone, including
climate change, food and energy security, development, peacekeeping and
non-proliferation and disarmament," he said.
Mr Smith said Australia was committed to working with and through the UN to make it
more effective in addressing key global challenges.
"Australia's candidacy for a non-permanent seat on the UN Security Council in
2013/14 is a concrete expression of this commitment," he said.
Over the past year, the Rudd government has been courting African nations as it
seeks the numbers for its Security Council bid.
African countries represent around 50 of the 192 UN member nations, making it a
crucial voting bloc.
Mr Smith has made a number of announcements as part of Australia's deeper engagement
with Africa and Defence Minister Joel Fitzgibbon recently visited Africa en route to
a NATO conference in Poland.
Mr Fitzgibbon announced Australia would co-host a peacekeeping forum with the
African Union (AU) and the Rudd government would establish a resident defence
attache in Africa and offer defence training in Australia to five AU-nominated
officers.
Countries competing with Australia to gain a temporary Security Council seat at this
stage include Luxembourg and Finland.
Aside from Mr Quinlan, the government announced a number of other movements through
its diplomatic and intelligence ranks.
Paul O'Sullivan, the chief of the Australia Security Intelligence Organisation, will
become Australia's new high commissioner to New Zealand.
Mr O'Sullivan, who advised former prime minister John Howard on foreign affairs, has
headed ASIO since July 2005.
David Irvine, the head of Australia's overseas spy agency, is to become the new
chief of ASIO.