We have decided to commission a new foreign and trade policy
White Paper, ‘Advancing the National Interest’.
Since the Government issued Australia’s first foreign and trade
policy White Paper, ‘In the National Interest’, in August 1997,
our region and the world have experienced profound change including
the East Asian financial crisis; the progressive strengthening of
globalisation; the terrible events of September 11 and the resulting
war on terrorism; and the launch of a new round of multilateral
trade negotiations in the World Trade Organization. The new
White Paper will address these and other major international shifts.
‘Advancing the National Interest’ will review the 1997 White
Paper’s key themes and assumptions and undertake some new analysis
on which relationships matter most to Australia in terms of our
security, our trade and investment interests, our people-to-people
links and other issues. The paper will also examine the
strength of Australia’s credentials and attributes to succeed in a
globalised economy and in an uncertain and fluid international
environment.
We will establish a high-level Task Force within the Department
of Foreign Affairs and Trade to work on the White Paper during 2002.
The development of the new White Paper will be informed by a focused
consultation process, drawing on expertise from both government and
the private sector, including members of the Foreign Affairs Council
and the Trade Policy Advisory Council.
Media inquiries: Mark Croxford (Mr Vaile’s office) 02 6277 7420
/ Matt Francis (Mr Downer’s office) 02
6277 7500
