Bruce Miller, a former Australian ambassador to Japan, describes the career he had in the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) as “a mixed picture”. A gay man, he joined DFAT in the 1980s and served overseas for 18 years. “I remember having to listen to jokes from colleagues in Canberra and Tokyo, with Australian men standing around having a laugh about gay men,” Mr Miller said. “I was made fun of in front of my staff because I was gay.” Mr Miller said one of the worst experiences was when a former senior Australian cabinet minister visited Japan and “found it amusing to make fun of the gay man in the embassy”.