Tim Fischer

Timothy Andrew Fischer (3 May 1946 – 22 August 2019) was an Australian politician and diplomat who served as leader of the National Party from 1990 to 1999. He was the tenth deputy prime minister in the Howard government from 1996 to 1999. After leaving politics, Fischer served as chairman of Tourism Australia from 2004 to 2007, and was later Ambassador to the Holy See from 2009 to 2012.

Fischer in 2013

Quotes

• For non-believers and believers, I think that a fair amount of people will see it as a great salute to an extraordinary Australian who pioneered education for indigenous people, education more broadly, who did so much to help so many other people.
  • Ambassador's tribute to Mary MacKillop (16 October 2010) Vatican Radio

• It is so much easier to do the job if you're on the ground in Rome. The Vatican is not entirely a closed shop, but you have to know where to look, which conferences to attend, which contacts to pursue.
  • Australian ambassador: countries without Rome-based embassy suffer (12 January 2012) Catholic News Agency