Don’t let ‘fake news’ be an excuse to avoid public scrutiny: Frances Adamson by The Mandarin | 0 comments As Australia's former ambassador to China, Frances Adamson is an expert in that delicate balance of condemning failings while preserving an existing friendship.
Cyber-diplomacy: Australia’s aspirations for online peace and prosperity by Stephen Easton | 0 comments The Turnbull government has made an unprecedented foray into cyber-diplomacy by publishing Australia's first International Cyber Engagement Strategy, which addresses the online expression of international crime, conflict, economic development, human rights and trade.
Verona Burgess: power and strategy behind APS top talent positioning by Verona Burgess | 0 comments As the next wave of turf wars and churn looms, a look back at some key appointments reveals the influence of one department. DFAT's skill at placing its people into the most sensitive Commonwealth offices is seemingly unique.
Frances Adamson confident DFAT can navigate a fractious multipolar world by Stephen Easton | 0 comments The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade turned 30 on July 14 and its job is only getting harder, but secretary Frances Adamson is confident that its past record is cause for optimism about its future.
Tom Burton: mokita and the mad king by Tom Burton | 0 comments The sudden and rapid collapse of US foreign policy administrative infrastructure has left Australia particularly exposed, leaving our diplomats scratching their heads about what to do.
In-house innovation is not about having a ‘funky’ workspace… but it helps by Stephen Easton | 0 comments For in-house innovation teams like BizLab or the InnovationXchange, having a clear business imperative is far more useful than unconventional office space.
Kim Beazley: making the Trump administration work for Australia by Kim Beazley | 0 comments Australia's policy interests with the United States are already stabilising, despite what the commentariat suggest about state of the alliance, says former Ambassador to Washington Kim Beazley. Trump's lack of policy nous can be a positive, if the PM can engage him in meaningful dialogue.
Leadership at scale: mentors who taught Dennis Richardson the craft by Harley Dennett | 0 comments It's no secret that the formidable Department of Defence boss is ending his storied career soon. But even just shy of half a century in public service, he never stopped learning the craft from those around him.
Who drafts the foreign policy white paper? by David Donaldson | 0 comments We don't yet know who will draft Julie Bishop's foreign policy white paper, but if history is a guide it'll be a small group in DFAT. Having a strategy will helps you avoid drifting off course, explain foreign policy experts.
Principles not platitudes: contemporary foreign policy with vision by Cam Hawker | 0 comments The foreign policy white paper announced by Julie Bishop is an opportunity for the government to shape a legacy by articulating the contemporary Coalition view of Australia’s place in the world.
Indigenous evaluation? We’ve got that right here: land council by Stephen Easton | 0 comments Indigenous program evaluation isn't as absent as some in government may believe. Public service boss Martin Parkinson's call for better evidence sparked a land council to ask why PM&C ignored their results.
The many hurdles of new DFAT boss Frances Adamson by Michael Sainsbury | 1 comment Can a woman reach the top ranks of the public service without her gender being used against her? Frances Adamson's key strength is unparalleled in DFAT, writes China correspondent Michael Sainsbury.
Better evaluations: finding the sweet spot for duration and team size by David Donaldson | 0 comments When conducting evaluations don't try to do everything in one go -- maintain a tight focus and resource properly, recommends DFAT. And make sure you follow up once it's done.
Quit if you think a policy is immoral, and other advice from Peter Varghese by Stephen Easton | 1 comment What does radical incrementalism really mean? Whose job is it to defend the public service? What can you do if you have an ethical crisis working on current government policy? DFAT's boss answers burning questions from APS.
Meet the six candidates for DFAT’s top job by Michael Sainsbury | 0 comments Giving the top job to a former spy chief would upset a lot of Australia's neighbours, but it's a distinct possibility. All six have previous ambassadorial experience, but there's only one woman in the running.
