Former Labor minister Stephen Smith has been announced as Australia’s next High Commissioner to the United Kingdom.

Mr Smith served as defence minister and foreign affairs minister under the Rudd and Gillard governments, and held the WA lower house seat of Perth from 1993 until retiring from politics in 2013.

He will begin his new post in early 2023, taking over from interim commissioner Lynette Wood.

Foreign Minister Penny Wong said Mr Smith’s appointment reflected the importance of the Australia-UK relationship.

She said the federal government’s approach to senior appointments was different to that of the former coalition government.

“I want to make clear our government is reversing the previous government’s approach,” she told reporters in Adelaide on Friday.

“We are rebalancing appointments towards more qualified senior officials consistent with community expectations and position requirements.

“There is also a clear advantage for Australia to be represented by people who have had distinguished careers beyond the public service such as business people and former parliamentarians.”

A replacement for Australia’s Ambassador to the United States Arthur Sinodinos will be announced at the end of his term in February 2023.

Former Liberal MPs Will Hodgman, Barry O’Farrell and Mitch Fifield – currently serving as Australia’s ambassadors to Singapore, India and the United Nations respectively – will be replaced at the conclusion of their terms in 2023.

Senator Wong also announced the appointment of six career diplomats as Australia’s new ambassadors to Argentina, Egypt, Kuwait, Portugal, Turkey and Vietnam.

– AAP