In August 2023, Australia released a new international development policy, setting the long-term direction for Australia's development program.

Profound challenges continue to reshape our world, testing our collective resolve. The new policy is centred on listening, respect and genuine partnership. It will guide how Australia's development program supports a peaceful, stable, and prosperous future for Australia and our region – ensuring it is fit for these complex times.

Themes

Among its key commitments, the policy identifies ambitious targets and action on climate change through boosts in investments and access to specific climate expertise.

It heralds the development of new strategies that will reaffirm and strengthen the centrality of gender equality, disability and LGBTQIA+ rights to Australia's foreign policy. It also includes a new strategy to guide Australia's humanitarian engagement internationally, ensuring we have an adaptable, responsive framework that responds to humanitarian need and builds resilience.

These strategies will guide Australia's broader foreign policy including international development assistance, humanitarian action, trade and security efforts.

Performance and delivery framework

The policy is underpinned by a robust new performance and delivery framework that will drive key reforms and improve the transparency and accountability of our development program.

Development Finance Review

The policy is informed by the Development Finance Review. The Review considered how financing instruments can maximise the impact of our support to help countries in our region achieve their development goals, including climate change and gender equality.

Public submissions

Public submissions also informed the policy.

Consultations

Throughout the policy's design, we consulted extensively with experts in Australia, with civil society, and with government across the region. We also held a series of roundtable discussions involving a broad range of development actors from Australia and the region in November and December 2022. The discussions were framed by an introductory presentation New international development policy stakeholder presentation [PDF 1 MB] | [PPTX 2.8 MB] For further information, also see Summary of Consultations on the New International Development Policy [PDF 249 KB] | [DOCX 236 KB]