Working in the National Interest
Secretary's message
The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade is committed to the effective pursuit of Australia's national interest in an international environment that is complex and challenging.
Every member of our staff contributes importantly to fulfilling our responsibility to advance the national interest. We deploy our people in Australia and in our network of overseas posts to improve the security and prosperity of all Australians, to enhance regional and global cooperation and to promote a realistic and positive image of Australia internationally. The department's lead role in delivering government outcomes in foreign and trade policy and in consular and passport services is critical to achieving our goals.
The aim of this document - Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Working in the National Interest - is to provide a practical guide about what we do and why we do it. It describes key aspects of the department's work, role, culture and values. It outlines what we do to achieve our goals - often in difficult and unpredictable circumstances.
This guide is intended to provide easily accessible information to the wider community about the department's role and capabilities and the services we provide to Australians both in Australia and overseas.
Michael L'Estrange
Secretary
May 2007
What we do - our role and assets
The department's role is to advance Australia's national interest. This involves working to strengthen Australia's security and enhance Australia's prosperity.
The department provides foreign and trade policy advice to the government. We work with other government agencies to ensure that Australia's pursuit of its global, regional and bilateral interests is coordinated effectively.
DFAT is the lead agency managing Australia's international presence. We manage a network of 89 overseas posts in five continents and we have over 3400 staff - including locally engaged staff - located in Canberra, state and territory offices and overseas posts.
Our officers are highly skilled at their work which includes developing and implementing foreign and trade policy, negotiating international agreements and delivering high quality consular assistance. This business is often conducted in one of the 29 foreign languages in which DFAT staff are proficient. We have an information, communications and technology (ICT) platform that allows us to transmit classified and unclassified messages quickly across our overseas network.
The department's objective is to reduce the risks and make the most of opportunities for Australia in our regional and global environment. Our purpose is to ensure that our structures - such as procedures for advising ministers, consular contingency planning, passport services, ICT platforms, staff deployment strategies, effective resource management and the scope of overseas representation - are carefully targeted to meet our goals.
Our Presence across the globe
Why we do it - our goals and strategies
The department works to ensure Australia's national interests are protected and advanced in our bilateral, regional and multilateral relations. Our key goals and strategies are:
To enhance the security of Australia and Australians at home and overseas
- by working with bilateral and regional partners and multilateral institutions to promote stability, democracy and good governance, particularly in our region
- by strengthening our bilateral relationships and regional and global cooperation to reduce the threat to Australians posed by terrorism, weapons proliferation and transnational crime
To contribute to Australia's prosperity by promoting growth in Australia's economy, employment and standard of living
- by creating economic opportunities for Australians, opening markets to Australian goods, services and investment, and improving the business environment
- by projecting a realistic and positive image of Australia as a partner in trade, a destination for overseas tourists and students, a reliable partner in business and a tolerant, open and egalitarian community
To help Australian travellers and Australians overseas
- by providing efficient and effective consular and passport services to Australians overseas.
How we do it - key activities
To enhance the security of Australia and Australians at home and overseas
We do so by
- maintaining and strengthening security relationships with key strategic partners
- strengthening dialogue and cooperation with regional partners
- combating international terrorism in cooperation with allies and regional partners
- contributing to countering the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction through strengthened international cooperation, standards and safeguards
- combating transnational crimes, including drug trafficking, money laundering and people smuggling through practical cooperation with other countries and multilateral institutions, including the United Nations
- supporting institution building and good governance with regional partners
- working with regional forums, including the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum, the East Asia Summit and the Pacific Islands Forum to enhance their ability to strengthen the region's security
- encouraging expanding international application of universal human rights standards, the rule of law and democratic principles
- contributing to the development of a strong international legal framework, and
- maintaining secure government communications and strengthening security at Australia's overseas missions.
To contribute to growth in Australia's economy, employment and standard of living
We do so by
- promoting market access for Australian goods and services and the maintenance of the global rules-based trading system through the World Trade Organization and Australia's leadership of the Cairns Group of agricultural exporters
- negotiating free trade agreements (FTAs) that open markets for Australian business and investment and reduce trade barriers
- implementing FTAs to derive maximum benefits for Australian business, including through targeted trade advocacy programs
- promoting practical regional and international action to address global environmental issues, including climate change
- promoting free trade and investment, economic reform and an improved business environment in the region through APEC and other regional bodies
- working through multilateral institutions such as the United Nations and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development to promote sustainable development, and
- providing information and assistance to Australian businesses trading and operating overseas.
To help Australian travellers and Australians overseas
We do so by
- advising and supporting Australians travelling and living overseas, as well as their families in Australia
- planning for and responding to major international crises or natural disasters in order to help Australians affected by them
- informing Australian travellers of the risks and threats they could face overseas and the extent of Australian consular assistance, and
- providing a secure and efficient passport service.
Delivering best practice consular and passport services
The delivery of high quality consular and passport services is one of the Government's key expectations of the department.
We bring a number of assets to this task:
- staff located in Canberra, state and territory offices and across our network of overseas posts who are trained and experienced in dealing with consular issues
- consular access in 169 locations overseas through our posts, honorary consulates and consular cooperation arrangements with other countries
- a 24 hour seven day a week Consular Emergency Centre in Canberra
- up-to-date and accessible travel advice through the smartraveller website and telephone service
- response mechanisms that allow the DFAT Crisis Centre, consular hotline and emergency response teams to deploy within hours of major crises affecting Australians, and
- access to passport information and services through our overseas posts, state and territory passport offices, the seven day a week Australian Passport Information Service call centre and the passport website.
Whole-of-government outcomes
Delivering whole-of-government outcomes that advance our foreign and trade policy and consular interests is central to the department's role. As the number of government agencies with international interests grows, the department's expertise and experience is critical to ensuring the coordinated delivery of policy and programs overseas.
An example of the department's effective contribution to government outcomes is our leadership of the multi-agency Inter-Departmental Emergency Task Force (IDETF), convened in response to consular crises overseas. Often involving ten or more agencies, the IDETF serves as the key coordination point for liaising with and directing emergency response teams, implementing public communications strategies and briefing ministers. They ensure that Government messages are delivered from Canberra and understood on the ground.
The department also coordinates whole-of-government approaches in other areas such as international security, the environment and trade negotiations.
Promoting a positive image of Australia
The department's public diplomacy (PD) activities project a positive and contemporary image of Australia and promote a clear understanding of Government policy and programs. They are tied explicitly to advancing our broader foreign and trade policy goals. Our role in PD programs includes coordinating activities such as:
- trade advocacy programs in key markets to promote free trade (with Austrade)
- Australia's participation in world expositions and international education fairs (with a wide range of federal and state government agencies)
- the International Media Visits Program, the Special Visits Program, and the International Cultural Visits Program that bring decision makers to Australia to enhance their understanding of Australian society and policy, and
- major cultural promotions in target countries (with the Australia International Cultural Council, the Australia Council and other cultural bodies).
Values and culture
Our professionalism stems from the commitment of all our staff to uphold and promote the Australian Public Service Values and Code of Conduct, the department's Code of Conduct for Overseas Service and the Code of Conduct for locally engaged staff overseas.
The department's ability to deliver high quality foreign and trade policy outcomes is based on:
Our commitment to
- Australia, its people and values
- the highest standards of ethical and personal conduct as representatives of Australia
- the protection of classified and other sensitive information
- integrity and fairness in our dealings with colleagues and the public
- sound corporate governance, and
- understanding different cultures, both in Australia and overseas
Our ability to
- think strategically and make sound judgments that advance Australian policy
- communicate Australia's national interests clearly
- provide high quality and timely advice to the Government
- deliver high quality service to Australians at home and overseas, and
- adapt quickly and effectively to meet new challenges and operate in new environments
Our leadership and outcomes-oriented culture that allows us to
- get the best from people
- help staff reach their potential through training and development, and
- recognise and reward high achievement
Our 'working smarter' practices that help us to
- set clear priorities
- manage time efficiently
- identify and deal with emerging issues, and
- balance our work and private lives.
Looking ahead - risks and opportunities
The department's operating environment will continue to pose risks and offer opportunities.
The unpredictable nature of the external environment has the potential to affect Australia's security and economic interests. We need to manage strategically our staff, our network of overseas posts and our communications systems to mitigate these risks while striving to reach our key goals and objectives in the national interest.
We also require informed judgment, flexibility and carefully focused activism to take advantage of opportunities that arise in a dynamic international environment, including opportunities for expanded trade access, new security cooperation and enhanced dialogue with regional partners.
At home, we face the challenge of recruiting, retaining and training skilled staff. Maintaining the skills and organisational flexibility to deploy staff to deal with new challenges will remain a key priority. We will also need to continue to manage our resources effectively and efficiently.
Over the next three years, the department's goals will continue to reflect important elements of continuity. But we will need to pursue them in ways that are innovative and adaptable, and that meet the challenges of a changing global environment.