Downer, Alexander John Gosse (1951-…), was Australian minister for foreign affairs from 1996 to 2007. He served as part of a coalition (partnership) of the Liberal and National parties. In 2004, he became Australia’s longest-serving minister for foreign affairs. Downer was considered a conservative within the center-right Liberal Party. He supported the constitutional monarchy and a small role for government, and he was conservative on social issues.
As foreign minister, Downer sought to balance Australia’s relationships with Asia and the United States. He also worked to manage his country’s relationship with Indonesia. This relationship became troubled after 1999, when Australia supported independence for the Indonesian province of East Timor.
Downer was born on Sept. 9, 1951, in Adelaide, South Australia. He was educated in Australia and the United Kingdom. Before entering the federal Parliament, he worked as an economist, diplomat, and political adviser. In 1983 and 1984, he served as director of the Australian Chamber of Commerce.
In 1984, Downer became a member of the House of Representatives for the Mayo district in South Australia. From 1987 to 1994, while the Liberals were the official opposition party in Parliament, he held several positions in the Liberal shadow ministry. A shadow ministry consists of the leading members of the official opposition party. Downer’s positions included shadow minister for trade and trade negotiations and shadow minister for foreign affairs. In 1994 and 1995, he served as Liberal Party leader. He resigned from politics in 2008.
