CIAO DATE: 06/2013
March 2013
Lowy Institute for International Policy
Australians are travelling more than ever. In 2012, they took more than eight million trips overseas, more than double the number a decade ago. Public expectations of the assistance government can provide when travellers encounter trouble are rapidly rising, fuelled by intense media and political attention given to high-profile cases. These rising demands on Australia’s consular service are becoming increasingly difficult to meet. How can DFAT manage the increased consular workload in a tight fiscal environment, without neglecting Australia’s other foreign policy priorities.
Resource link: Consular conundrum: the rising demands and diminishing means for assisting Australians overseas [PDF]