6 7 , ▁H utton ▁was ▁appointed ▁the ▁Department ' s ▁public ▁information ▁officer , ▁responsible ▁for ▁assist ing ▁Australian ▁media ▁report ▁accur ately ▁on ▁foreign ▁affairs , ▁from ▁the ▁Australian ▁angle . ▁He ▁decl ined ▁to ▁be ▁photograph ed ▁by ▁The ▁Can ber ra ▁Times ▁in ▁his ▁first ▁week ▁in ▁the ▁role . ▁He ▁head ed ▁a ▁team ▁of ▁three ▁public ▁information ▁officers , ▁all ▁with ▁diplom atic ▁background s . ▁From ▁the ▁role ▁as ▁public ▁information ▁officer , ▁H utton ▁was ▁appointed ▁High ▁Commission er ▁to ▁Niger ia ▁in ▁February   1 9 7 0 — his ▁first ▁post ▁as ▁head ▁of ▁mission . ▁ ▁He ▁was ▁Amb assador ▁to ▁Leb anon ▁from ▁ 1 9 7 3 ▁to ▁ 1 9 7 5 , ▁in ▁the ▁lead - up ▁to ▁the ▁start ▁of ▁the ▁Leb an ese ▁Civil ▁War . ▁Ar riv ing ▁in ▁April ▁ 1 9 7 3 , ▁within ▁days ▁H utton ▁and ▁his ▁family ▁were ▁in ▁the ▁midst ▁of ▁fighting . ▁His ▁wife ▁and ▁four ▁of ▁his ▁five ▁children ▁were ▁forced ▁to ▁hide ▁in ▁the ▁bas ement ▁of ▁a ▁school ▁for ▁ 1 1   h ours , ▁with ▁teachers ▁and ▁other ▁pup ils , ▁while ▁Palest ini ans ▁and ▁units ▁of ▁the ▁Leb an ese ▁Army ▁ex changed ▁fire ▁above . ▁During ▁his ▁posting ▁in ▁Be ir ut , ▁H utton ▁was ▁also ▁appointed ▁the ▁first ▁non - res ident ▁amb assador ▁to ▁Ira q ▁( in ▁ 1 9 7 4 ) ▁and ▁to