Overview

The department focused on improving the professionalism of its human resources function. Significant improvements in workforce planning have begun to enhance the department’s ability to better align human resources to the Government’s foreign, trade and investment and development priorities. We also reviewed and adjusted the number and distribution of staff across departmental functions, both in Australia and overseas.

The department’s review of obstacles to greater representation of women in leadership roles and the launch of the Leadership Strategy were aimed at enhancing organisational capability. Our learning and development programs have been augmented. Locally engaged staff (LES) leadership programs focused on improving the skills of our local staff.

The department continued a program of staff surveys to monitor staff sentiment, track performance and inform internal reform processes.

We remained committed to promoting the wellbeing of staff and their families in Australia and overseas, including those deployed at high-threat posts or in a crisis response capacity.

The department expanded Australia’s diplomatic footprint overseas. We established an interim mission co-located with the Canadian post in Kyiv. New Zealand co-located with our mission in Accra and arrangements were advanced to enable New Zealand to co-locate in our mission in Baghdad. We commenced preparations to open new posts in Ulaanbaatar, Makassar, Doha and Phuket. We coordinated with Austrade to open a new post in Houston and established a LES exchange with the United Kingdom in our respective missions in Chengdu and Chongqing.