 Dennis was posted to Manila, Rome, and Washington DC where he was Counsellor, later acting Minister, from 1976-78.From 1972 to 1974 he worked in a policy area of the Department of Defence and then as Assistant Secretary in the Department of the Special Minister of State.In 1978 and 1979 he was senior advisor to Lionel Bowen MP, deputy leader of the Australian Labor Party in the Australian Parliament, before returning to Foreign Affairs as Assistant Secretary North Asia.