Australian Ambassador to Indonesia Gary Quinlan was withdrawn from Jakarta on medical advice because of the threat from the corona virus, underscoring government concerns about Indonesia's ability to overcome the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Australian Ambassador to Indonesia, Gary Quinlan, 69, has served as Ambassador to Indonesia for more than two years and has enjoyed a career of more than 40 years in diplomatic services, including serving as ambassador to Singapore and to the United Nations.
He left Jakarta on Saturday after being ordered home as a precautionary measure and will remain an ambassador, working remotely.
As for Deputy Ambassador Quinlan, Allaster Cox will remain in Jakarta.
Over the past six weeks, the embassy has imposed a lockdown on its staff to work from home in an effort to protect from the spread of the pandemic and also began sending staff back to Australia.
Australia's largest foreign mission, which includes 180 Australians, has been reduced to skeletal staff in recent weeks with more than half of its staff, their families and most of its contractors ordered to return to Australia.
Consulates in Surabaya, Makassar and Bali are also now run with a small number of important staff.
"Australian embassies and consulates in Indonesia have the resources to continue to serve Australian interests, including providing consular support to Australians at this challenging time," the DFAT statement released late Thursday.
