Mr Curtis Leonard Tu‘ihalangingie has officially begun his tenure as Tonga’s High Commissioner to Australia after presenting his Letters of Credence to Australia’s Governor-General, Her Excellency the Honourable Sam Mostyn AC, at Government House.

The ceremony today marked the formal start of Mr Tu‘ihalangingie’s appointment as Tonga’s chief diplomatic representative in Australia, where he will also oversee Tonga’s concurrent accreditation to Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand.

Mr Tu‘ihalangingie has served at the Tonga High Commission in Canberra for seven years, progressing through roles including Second Secretary, First Secretary and Acting High Commissioner. Before his Canberra posting, he held government positions including at the Royal Palace and within His Majesty’s Diplomatic Services.

He holds a Bachelor of Law with a major in Diplomacy and a Master of Law in International Relations from Peking University in China.

The appointment comes as Tonga and Australia continue to strengthen their longstanding bilateral relationship. The two countries have committed to advancing ties through the Kaume‘a Ofi initiative, meaning “close friends”, which aims to deepen cooperation based on trust, mutual respect and shared interests.

Australia and Tonga have maintained diplomatic relations for more than five decades, supported by strong people-to-people links, development cooperation and security partnerships.

Mr Tu‘ihalangingie will be joined at the High Commission by Ms Grace Faitumalo Motu‘apuaka, appointed First Secretary and Deputy Head of Mission, and Mr Tasimani Duifken Telefoni, appointed Second Secretary.

The new diplomatic team is expected to focus on further strengthening cooperation between Tonga and Australia while supporting the interests of Tongans living and working across the region.