Australia’s High Commissioner to Niue H.E Louise Ellerton presents her credentials to Premier Tagelagi and Cabinet

The new Australian High Commissioner to Niue Her Excellency Louise Ellerton presented her credentials to Premier Dalton Tagelagi and Ministers after Cabinet’s meeting this morning.

H.E Louise Ellerton is a career officer with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and was most recently Acting Director, Border Policy and Strategy Section, COVID-19 Coordination Unit.

She has previously served overseas in Honiara in the Solomon Islands.  In Canberra, she has served in a range of development and aid governance-related roles.

Last month, in a statement announcing High Commissioner Ellerton’s post to Niue, Australia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Senator Marise Payne said that Australia and Niue enjoy a friendly relationship based on close community links, participation in Pacific regional organisations, and shared support for an open, resilient and inclusive Indo-Pacific region.

H.E Ms. Ellerton holds a Graduate Diploma of Education; a Bachelor of Engineering (Honours); and a Bachelor of Commerce, from Monash University.

Australia is only the second country to establish a diplomatic presence in Niue, opening its High Commission in Alofi in August 2020.

The first Australian High Commissioner to Niue was Susan Allen who served in the role until October last year.

The Australian Government through AusAid has supported a number of major projects in Niue, including the building of the new Niue Primary School.

Some of the current major projects include funding of tertiary scholarships to regional universities, the new powerhouse and the building of the government’s recycling facility.