Degrees in Law, Melbourne University. Degrees in Politics, Philosophy and Economics, Oxford University. Member of the Australian Parliament (1978–1999). Cabinet Minister during the Hawke and Keating Governments. Minister of Resources and Energy. Minister for Transportation and Communications. Foreign Minister (1988–1996). President of the Brussels-based International Crisis Group. Co-Chair of the Canadian government-established International Commission on Intervention and State Sovereignty. Member of the UN Security Council advisory group, pointed by the UN Secretary-General, to propose strategies for future security work. Developed the UN Peace Plan for Cambodia. Founder of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation Forum (APEC). Initiator of the Canberra Commission on the Elimination of Nuclear Weapons. Served as Co-Chair of the International Commission on Intervention and Sovereignty. President of the International Crisis Group (ICG), Belgium, since 2000.

Publications include: The Responsibility to Protect (2001) as well as numerous books and articles on foreign relations, human rights, legal reform and democratic socialist political philosophy.