The Honourable Joe Hockey is Australia's Ambassador to the United States of America, taking up his posting in Washington DC in January 2016. Hockey first entered Parliament in 1996 as the Member for North Sydney and spent more than 17 years on the front bench. He served as a Minister in a number of different portfolios including Financial Services, Small Business and Tourism, Human Services and Employment and Workplace Relations. In 2013, Hockey was appointed Treasurer of the Commonwealth and was responsible for all economic policy. He served as chair of the G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors in 2014, and was a member of the leadership troika in 2015. As Treasurer he was a regular delegate to IMF, World Bank, Asian Development Bank and APEC meetings. Previously, Hockey served as a banking and finance lawyer with a major Australian firm. He graduated from the University of Sydney with Bachelor's in Arts and Law.