Patrick is the Minister Counsellor Home Affairs at the Australian Embassy in Washington DC. Prior to his commencement, he was the acting Deputy National Counter Foreign Interference Coordinator in the Department of Home Affairs. 

Patrick joined the Australian Public Service in 2001. He has worked in a variety of policy, intelligence and program-related roles, with a focus on national security issues. He was the principal author of Australia’s 2010 Counter-Terrorism White Paper, and between 2011 and 2013 he was Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard’s senior adviser on immigration, border security, counter-terrorism, espionage, cyber security and emergency management. Patrick worked in the private sector between 2013 and 2016. 

He and his wife Caroline have two sons, Oliver and Jack.