Mr Chris Moraitis

High Commissioner to Papua New Guinea

Biography

Mr Moraitis was most recently the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade's Senior Legal Adviser, a position he held since November 2002.  He has held several positions in the department in Canberra including Assistant Secretary, Staffing Branch (2001‑2002), Director, East Timor Taskforce (1999-2001), Executive Officer, Human Rights Section (1993-94) and Desk Officer, Chemical Weapons Convention Taskforce (1991-93).  From 1994 to 1995 Mr Moraitis served as an Adviser to the former Minister for Foreign Affairs, the Hon Gareth Evans QC.  He joined the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade as a Graduate Trainee in 1989.

Overseas, Mr Moraitis has served as Counsellor, Australian Embassy, Paris (1996-99), First Secretary, Australian Embassy, Madrid (1995), and Third Secretary, Australian Mission to the United Nations and Conference on Disarmament in Geneva (1990-91).

Mr Moraitis was born in Melbourne in 1962.  He holds Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Laws degrees with honours from the University of Melbourne, and a Master of International Law degree from the Australian National University.  He was admitted to practise in Victoria as a Barrister and Solicitor in 1988.  Mr Moraitis speaks Greek, Italian, French, Portuguese and Spanish.  He is married and has one daughter.