‘Opaque laminate’ protected WeWork ambassador’s privacy in Poland

Australia’s ambassador to Ukraine Paul Lehmann worked out of the space in Poland for eight months with ‘opaque laminate’ stuck on the glass windows for privacy while the embassy in Kyiv was closed.

Australia's ambassador to Ukraine Paul Lehmann with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky last year. Picture: President of Ukraine

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Australia’s ambassador to Ukraine Paul Lehmann worked out of a shared office in Poland for eight months with “opaque laminate” stuck on the glass windows for privacy while the embassy in Kyiv was closed, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade says.

“Due to space constraints in our mission in Warsaw at that time, the ambassador and deputy head of mission undertook their duties between a WeWork space and the Australian embassy depending on the security classification of their activities,” DFAT told Senate estimates through a question on notice.

“The temporary office space was a self-contained office in WeWork and not a co-working space.

“The department requested the installation of opaque laminate on some windows in the temporary office space.”

The department did not list any other “security upgrades or equipment” it required for the temporary working space.

A report in the second half of 2024 said the Warsaw WeWork was occupied not only by Australia’s ambassador to Ukraine but also groups including Chinese social media juggernaut TikTok, a Warhammer hobby shop, a discount supermarket, and a dog trainer.

DFAT specified that this was the first and only time it had ever used co-working spaces anywhere in the world.

Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong and her Ukraine counterpart Andriy Sybiga walk by the Wall of Remembrance of the Fallen for Ukraine in Kyiv last year. Picture: AFP

Australia evacuated its Kyiv embassy following Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022.

The Coalition in August 2024 dialled up pressure on the government to reopen the Australian embassy in Ukraine, “despite many other nations long ago putting in place security measures enabling their return, including the Canadians who Australia rents our embassy space from”, then-foreign affairs spokesman Simon Birmingham said at the time.

Foreign Minister Penny Wong announced in December that Australia would reopen its embassy in Ukraine as a show of “unwavering solidarity”.

“The Albanese government has always said we would reopen our embassy in Kyiv when it is safe to do so,” Senator Wong said at the time.

“I was pleased to announce we are reopening the embassy. From next month, Australia’s ambassador as well as our deputy head of mission will return to Kyiv.”