Joseph Benedict “Joe” Hockey on Thursday presented his credentials to President Barack Obama as the new Australian Ambassador to the United States.
The newly appointed ambassador is of Armenian descent, as his father is a Palestine Armenian.
His father’s original surname, Hokeidonian, was anglicized to “Hockey” in 1948 after arriving in Australia.
Hockey, 50, was the Member of Parliament from 1996 until 2015.
He was the Treasurer of Australia in the Tony Abbott Government.
He previously served as the Minister for Human Services and Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations in the John Howard Government.