History of Australian diplomacy
Documents on Australian Foreign Policy is a project supported by successive governments since 1971 to document the evolution of Australia's external relations. The content of volumes in the series is scrutinised by a Committee of Final Review comprising the Minister for Foreign Affairs and delegates of the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition. An Editorial Advisory Board, comprising eminent scholars and distinguished former public servants, together with representatives of the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition in attendance, advises the Minister for Foreign Affairs.
The first part of the project, comprising Documents on Australian Foreign Policy 1937-1949, was completed in 2001.
The second series, which is thematic rather than chronological, began in 1997 with publication of a volume of documents entitled The Australia-Japan Agreement on Commerce 1957 and continued with Australia and the Indonesian Incorporation of Portuguese Timor, 1974-1976 (2000) and The ANZUS Treaty 1951 (2001) Australia and Recognition of the People's Republic of China, 1949-1972 and The Negotiation of the Australia New Zealand Closer Economic Relations Trade Agreement 1983 (2003)
In 2001 and 2003, the department also brought out a two volume narrative history to commemorate the Centenary of Federation entitled Facing North: A Century of Australian Engagement with Asia Volume 1: 1901 to the 1970s and Volume 2 1970s to 2000.
In September 2004 HPI launched a new series of historical monographs on topics that elucidate the work of the department, either on foreign and trade policy issues or the services we provide to Australians, entitled Australia in the World The Foreign Affairs and Trade Files. The first topic in the series was Australia and the Origins of the Pacific Islands Forum.