AUKUS and China tensions show need for lifting DFAT's diplomacy budget: ASPI

Chronic underfunding of Australian diplomats doing their core mission risks had created a "lightweight" diplomacy that was more of an afterthought, an ASPI paper titled The costs of discounted diplomacy found.

The warning came as the top United States diplomat, Tony Blinken, was set to attend meetings in Australia in person for the first time this week. He and Australia's Foreign Affairs Minister, Marise Payne, will meet with Quad foreign ministers from India and Japan to talk regional security under the spectre of heightened economic and military tensions with China and little diplomatic counterweight with Beijing.

Former Australian ambassador to Thailand James Wise observed in the paper that the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade's "Qantas quality" passport and consular services are among the best in the world because they are well resourced and put the safety of travelling Australians first.

READ MORE:

It's in contrast to the shrinking operating budget for DFAT's foreign policy function, which has declined by 9 per cent in real terms since 2000, and has been repeatedly described as underused, underachieving, and underdone by former top defence and intelligence officials like former ASIO boss Duncan Lewis.

"Australia hasn't valued diplomats and diplomacy as highly as it has valued soldiers, strike fighters and submarines. Potential war-winners have been favoured over potential war-preventers," Mr Wise wrote.

"Subtly, perhaps, the high value that Australia puts on military software and hardware has been influenced by the Anzac legend, which has fostered the idea that national self-confidence can be boosted by participation in war."

But diplomacy is neither optional nor frivolous, he argued, noting observations from Defence chief General Angus Campbell and former US defence secretary Jim Mattis that funding diplomacy can help put the brakes on the need for ever-escalating military budgets.

If properly funded, he argued Australian diplomats could improve the government's understanding of the motivations, intentions and capabilities of other countries, and help it better navigate the changing world.

Consular services have a direct impact on Australians, particularly when they travel, but Australians can be understandably indifferent to cuts in diplomacy, which carry little political risk to governments, Mr Wise wrote.

Lack of political will and public support might change with the increasingly tough relationship with China and dramatic leaps like the formation of AUKUS, but Mr Wise doubted existing funds could match Australia's current risks.

"On DFAT's watery policy fuel, Qantas would struggle to get off the ground," he wrote.

Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can continue to access our trusted content: