Engaging with the region

The Australian Public Service is building capability to support the whole-of-government approach to deepening engagement in the Indo-Pacific region, using all elements of statecraft.

Senator the Hon Penny Wong, the Minister for Foreign Affairs, has undertaken an intensive program of visits in Asia and the Pacific since taking office. She has said that she begins engagement by communicating that Australia is ‘a land that is home to the oldest continuous culture on the planet, and to people from more than 300 ancestries … with the ability to build on common ground with people around the world.’

In May 2023, the Australian Government announced $1.9 billion over 5 years for the Enhancing Pacific Engagement budget measure, with a new International Development Policy and Southeast Asia Economic Strategy to follow in the second half of 2023. These significant initiatives escalate the need for the APS to be able to foster authentic, respectful and culturally-sound relationships with regional counterparts.

Mr Justin Mohamed was announced as Australia’s inaugural Ambassador for First Nations People on 7 March 2023. In this role he leads efforts to embed First Nations perspectives in Australian foreign policy.

The Ambassador helps foster cooperation between First Nations people and regional partners, based on the unique experience and knowledge of First Nations people, to address challenges including health security, environmental management and climate change, and gender equality.

To do this, Ambassador Mohamed consults extensively with First Nations leaders and communities around Australia. He heads an Office of First Nations Engagement within the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, and works in partnership across departments and agencies.

The role of Ambassador for Climate Change has been reinstated, with Ms Kristin Tilley taking up the appointment in November 2022. With Pacific partners, Australia will bid to host the 31st annual meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP31) in 2026, to highlight the impact of climate change on the region, accelerate global action and harness the economic opportunities from the clean energy transition.

As part of the APS Reform program (Priority 4, Outcome 8), there are 2 capability development projects to help lift the Asia and the Pacific capability of APS employees.

The APS Indo-Pacific Executive Development program will:

  • target high-performing Executive Level 1s and 2s to build the skills and confidence to advance Australia’s interests in the Indo-Pacific
  • develop APS cultural competency and geopolitical awareness of the Indo-Pacific region across a range of policy challenges
  • create an APS-wide network to support sharing of skills and knowledge
  • build an APS cohort of practitioners for expert advice and regional connections
  • deliver insights into how best to uplift APS capability in working across the Indo-Pacific.

The Australian Public Service Commission is working with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and AsiaLink, part of the University of Melbourne, to design and deliver the program.

The Pacific Cultural Capability postgraduate microcredential will involve 40 to 60 hours of learning over 6 to 8 weeks. This skills-based training, delivered by Pasifika educators using Talanoa methodologies will cover:

  • Pacific history, culture, values and economic and political systems
  • impacts of colonialism and key drivers of Australian engagement in the Pacific
  • how cultural structures and systems of power leveraged by dominant cultures shape our thinking, beliefs and behaviour.

The APSC is working with DFAT and Flinders University to design and deliver the microcredential. It will be credit-bearing at an Australian Qualification Framework Level 8 (Graduate Certificate) and offer an articulation pathway into a postgraduate qualification.

A set of learning resources for Asia and the Pacific capability will also be made available through the APS Academy and the Diplomatic Academy.

See also

Senator the Hon Penny Wong (2023) National Press Club Address, Australian interests in a regional, Minister for Foreign Affairs website, https://www.foreignminister.gov.au/, accessed 6 October 2023.

Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (n.d.) Ambassador for First Nations People, DFAT website, https://www.dfat.gov.au/international-relations/themes/indigenous-peoples/ambassador-first-nations-people accessed 6 October 2023.

The Hon Chris Bowen MP (2023) Joint media release: Australia’s International Climate Engagement, Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water website, https://minister.dcceew.gov.au/bowen/media-releases/australias-international-climate-engagement, accessed 6 October 2023.

Australian Government (n.d.) The role of the APS Academy, APS Academy website https://www.apsacademy.gov.au/, accessed 6 October 2023.

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