Reimagining Australia's international relations.
A platform for collaboration between the development, diplomacy and defence communities.
Promoting all arms of statecraft
With the federal budget released on March 28 and the federal election called for May 21, AP4D has been active in promoting the benefits of utilising all arms of statecraft to maximise Australia's influence in a difficult and complex world.
Program Lead Melissa Conley Tyler has written for Australian Outlook on the need to bolster funding for diplomacy and development, while in The Conversation she has called for the DFAT funding debate to be widened so that diplomacy and development are not seen as niche issues, but ones that affect all Australians.
AP4D's contribution to Asia Society Australia's 2022 Election Policy Brief series looks at why rebuilding Australia's diplomatic and development capacity will be a priority for whichever party forms the next government. AP4D recently gave a briefing on this topic to the Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs Senator the Hon Penny Wong and has also offered this to the Minister for Foreign Affairs Senator the Hon Marise Payne.
Our people
The AP4D Advisory Group is co-chaired by Marc Purcell and Michael Wesley.
Recent commentary by Advisory Group members include:
Joanne Wallis on framing China in the Pacific Islands, (with Anna Powles) how increased space for Pacific voices can increase Australian understanding of the region, and (with Czes Tubilewicz) how Australia understands power and the limits of its influence in the Pacific.
Richard Maude on how Australia can help keep Taiwan safe and Australia's China policy.
Huong Le Thu on external actors and the Southeast Asian maritime order and (with Bart Hogeveen) Australia-UK-ASEAN cyber–maritime security cooperation.
Bridi Rice on modelling international development think tanks of the future, supporting regional recovery and resilience, and (with Melissa Conley Tyler) building coalitions for development.
James Batley and Marc Purcell on Australia's foreign aid priorities.
Richard Moore on Australia's approach to development strategy and implementation and what a shared future for Australian and Southeast Asia might look like.
Allan Gyngell on foreign policy election issues and (with Darren Lim) the Solomon Islands-China security pact.
Our program
The Pacific Islands component of AP4D's inaugural program is well underway, with working groups comprising more than 45 development, diplomacy and defence experts from Australia and the Pacific looking at how Australia can be a...
- Generational Partner for Pacific Economies and Societies
- Effective Climate Ally with the Pacific
- Partner for Common Security with the Pacific
- Partner on Technological Change in the Pacific
The Griffith Asia Institute will host an AP4D Pacific Voices consultation in late April to provide even more space for regional perspectives. A Pacific Islands Roundtable will be held in early-May, with working groups presenting their options paper drafts to senior departmental representatives for feedback.
In the news
AP4D has been featured in:
2CC Talking Canberra
Program Lead Melissa Conley Tyler has spoken at:
DFAT Development Policy Division's Monthly Speaker Series
The Australian Davos Connection Virtual Forum
The University of Adelaide
Program Officer Tom Barber has spoken at:
- La Trobe Asia's Regional Perspectives on the Free and Open Indo-Pacific
