List of Recommendations

Recommendation 1

5.7

The committee recommends that the Australian Government investigate options for the best model for effective foreign policy research settings, including how best to fund this model, to ensure the Australian community and business is best placed to understand and respond to a rapidly changing geostrategic environment.

Recommendation 2

5.15

The committee recommends that the Australian Government consider reviewing the security clearance process to ensure it remains fit for purpose and that processes are not inadvertently impeding Australians with much needed skills and knowledge from being employed.

Recommendation 3

5.16

The committee recommends that the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade's Human Resources Modernisation program should consider the introduction of additional measures to attract individuals with specialist knowledge in identified priority countries and topics, including those with diverse backgrounds and those with language proficiencies.

Recommendation 4

5.18

The committee recommends that the Australian Government investigate new ways to leverage language resources to lift the capability of the Australian Public Service in this area.

Recommendation 5

5.21

The committee recommends that the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade consider strategies for increased engagement, with both the media and community in order to increase understanding of foreign policy issues.

Recommendation 6

5.27

The committee recommends that the Australian Government convene a task force to develop a whole-of-government strategy to identify gaps in data and information which will help to better deploy funding for foreign policy research and ensure that a diversity of views are considered. As part of the process, the taskforce should consider proposals outlined in this report, including the creation of pools of funds for: (i) innovative research; (ii) time sensitive research; (iii) long-term, over the horizon research; and (iv) priority thematic areas, such as peacebuilding or human security.

Recommendation 7

5.29

The committee recommends the task force on the whole-of-government strategy for funding foreign policy research consider the role of empirical research and how it can be promoted. The task force should analyse how the government can make research-relevant data more accessible, identify data gaps and consider commissioning research work to fill such gaps.

Recommendation 8

5.31

The committee recommends the Australian Government establish a pilot exchange program, between the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and foreign policy think tanks and university departments, at a variety of levels of seniority.

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