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AUSTRALIA’S DIPLOMATIC DEFICIT
Reinvesting in our instruments of international policy
Contents
List of figures
Preface
Executive summary
iv
v
vii
Introduction 1
Australia and the world 2
Why do we need to shape Australia’s international environment? 4
Australia’s diplomatic deficit and the global financial crisis 4
A growing debate 5
The structure of this report 7
Part 1 Shaping a more challenging world 9
Traditional approaches 9
Power shifts and emerging actors 11
Wicked problems 14
The information revolution and new challenges for government 15
Policy activism in a difficult operating environment 16
Part 2 Australia’s instruments of international policy 17
Australia’s overseas diplomatic network 17
Consular services 27
Public diplomacy 30
International policy machinery 33
Australia’s overseas aid program 39
Support for Australian business 42
Non-government actors 44
Part 3 Reinvesting in our diplomatic infrastructure 47
The overseas network: closing the diplomatic deficit 47
Consular services: recognising reality 48
Diplomats for the 21 st century: rebuilding our intellectual infrastructure 48
Public diplomacy: integration and targeting 49
Economic diplomacy: boosting exports and investment and supporting jobs 50
Aid: maximising impact 50
Improving outreach: building new international policy networks 51
International policy machinery: improving strategic focus and cohesion 51
Annexure 1: The Blue Ribbon Panel 53
Annexure 2: How the Panel functioned 55
Annexure 3: Survey of major non-government stakeholders 57
Photograph attributions 59
Notes 59
Acknowledgments 65
Bibliography 67