Damien Miller facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Damien Miller
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Damien Miller
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Damien Patrick Miller
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| Nationality | Australian |
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| Occupation | Diplomat |
| Title | Australian Ambassador to Denmark, Iceland and Norway |
| Term | May 2013 – April 2017 |
| Predecessor | James Choi |
| Successor | MaryEllen Miller |
| Partner(s) | Neill Seeto |
Damien Patrick Miller is an Australian diplomat. He is well-known for being the first Indigenous Australian to lead an Australian embassy or mission in another country.
Early Life and Learning
Damien Miller is a member of the Gangulu people. Their traditional lands are near Mount Morgan and Rockhampton in Central Queensland. In an interview, Miller shared that his grandmother was affected by a law from 1897. This law caused her and many family members to move from their homes into Rockhampton or later to Brisbane. Damien grew up in Brisbane but still has strong connections to his people's traditional country.
In 1993, a national Indigenous committee called NAIDOC named Miller the Aboriginal Scholar of the Year. He studied at the University of New South Wales, finishing in 1998. He earned degrees in Arts and Law. Miller also has a special diploma in Foreign Affairs and Trade from Monash University.
His Career as a Diplomat
While studying law in Sydney, Miller worked at a law firm. In 1995, he joined the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT). He started as an Indigenous Cadet, working part-time during his summer breaks.
After finishing his university studies, Miller began working full-time at DFAT in 1999. His first overseas job was in Malaysia, where he worked from 2000 to 2003. When he returned to Australia, Miller worked in a section that dealt with South-East Asia from 2003 to 2006. Later, he became a director in charge of planning for DFAT from 2007 to 2009. In 2009, he moved to a new role as a director in the Afghanistan section of DFAT. In 2010, Miller was appointed as a Counsellor and Deputy Head of Mission at the Australian Embassy in Germany.
On April 1, 2013, the Australian Foreign Minister, Bob Carr, announced Miller's new role. Miller became the new Ambassador of Australia to Denmark. He also represented Australia in Iceland and Norway. This made him the first Indigenous Australian to lead an Australian diplomatic mission. Miller started his new job in May 2013. He officially met Queen Margrethe II of Denmark on June 14, 2013. Later, he met King Harald V of Norway on October 17, 2013. He also met Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson, the President of Iceland, on December 7, 2013.
When he became an Ambassador, Miller mentioned that DFAT had 49 Indigenous staff members. Twelve of these employees were working at Australian embassies around the world. He said it was a "great honour not only for me, but for my family and for Indigenous Australians."
