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Former Labor ministers, the defence department boss and a career diplomat are among the names being touted by government figures to replace Kevin Rudd as Australia’s ambassador in Washington.
Rudd, the former prime minister and foreign minister, won praise for stabilising relations with the US president, Donald Trump, on Monday, after the surprise announcement he would depart a year early to return to the Asia Society thinktank.
The choice is likely to be made by the prime minister, Anthony Albanese, and the foreign minister, Penny Wong.
Labor sources have suggested former ministers Joel Fitzgibbon and Stephen Conroy were among possible picks.
Both served alongside Albanese in the Rudd and Gillard governments, while trade and tourism minister Don Farrell could emerge as a surprise pick for the sought-after posting in Washington.
But Albanese is expected to consider senior public servants, government figures said, including defence department boss Greg Moriarty and career diplomat Justin Hayhurst as contenders.
Before leading defence, Moriarty was chief of staff to Malcolm Turnbull and served as Australia’s ambassador in Iran and Indonesia. He was appointed as defence secretary in 2017 and has detailed knowledge of the Aukus nuclear submarine agreement.
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Defence analyst Jennifer Parker said Moriarty would be a strong choice for ambassador.
“Moving forward with our alliance with the US is key. There’s probably no one who understands that more, and the initiatives under the alliance including Aukus, than Greg Moriarty. For those reasons, he would be a good candidate.”
Hayhurst has recently finished up as ambassador to Tokyo. He has previously held senior public service roles and worked at the Australian embassies in China and the Philippines.
Conroy was communications minister in the Rudd and Gillard governments and works as a lobbyist and political commentator for Sky News. He previously worked as director of gambling industry group Responsible Wagering Australia.
Conroy has previously called the US president “moronically stupid”, a potential complication after Rudd’s high-profile criticism of Trump became a political problem for the Albanese government in 2025.
Fitzgibbon served as defence minister from 2007 until 2009. He left parliament ahead of the 2022 federal election and works as a lobbyist in Canberra, including running his own advisory company.
Farrell, a powerbroker and key supporter of Albanese within Labor, has been in politics since 2007 and has navigated Trump’s tariff regime on behalf of the government.
Former Western Australian premier Mark McGowan could also be considered for the Washington role.
United States Studies Centre senior fellow Bruce Wolpe said Rudd’s successor need not be a high-profile former politician, despite recent appointments including Joe Hockey and Kim Beazley.
“I think the best choice would be someone very senior in the public service who is absolutely across the issues and the structures involved in the relationship,” he said.
“The US is already in a very intense political year, and so everything’s going to be politicised. You want someone who’s not necessarily caught up in that, but someone who can actually read it.”
He said a non-political choice would be advantageous ahead of the November midterm congressional elections and the 2028 presidential campaign. Wolpe pointed to former defence and Asio boss Dennis Richardson’s appointment as ambassador to Washington from 2005-2009 as a potential model.
Wolpe said a former Labor politician risked aggravating activists in Trump’s Make America Great Again [Maga] base, especially if they were viewed as strongly in favour of diversity policies or renewable energy.
He praised Rudd’s record of working with both Republicans and Democrats in Washington, cementing ties with members of Congress and engaging at the highest levels in the White House.
“It’s always good to be underestimated in politics. And the commentary on him was that he would have a really rough going with Trump. He’s exceeded everyone’s expectations.”
Wong said the new ambassador would be chosen based on the skills and attributes needed for the job. She praised Rudd’s three-year tenure.
“He’s always brought an extraordinary level of energy and discipline to public service. He’s applied his relentless effort, his experience, his intellect and his determination to advance Australia’s interests in Washington,” she said.
Rudd’s predecessors as ambassador praised his performance on Monday.
Former ambassador Arthur Sinodinos said Rudd had worked hard, including as a regular presence on Capitol Hill.
“He did a good job as ambassador, helping to shepherd the Aukus legislation through Congress, promoting Australia’s interests around critical minerals and the superannuation industry.”
Hockey praised Rudd on social media, saying he could be proud of his achievements.
“It is not an easy job and he has worked really hard for Australia over the past three years.”
Albanese would not be drawn on the possibility of former prime minister Scott Morrison being given the role on Tuesday. Morrison had maintained close ties to Trump since leaving office and currently works as a defence industry lobbyist.
Asked if he was a candidate for the job, Farrell said he was happy as trade minister. “This is entirely an issue for the prime minister and the foreign minister, but whoever they pick, I’m sure will be a terrific representative for Australia,” he said.
