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Leading Australia's Future in the Asia-Pacific (LAFIA)
In 2010, two LAFIA program will be conducted by the Australian Public Service Commission in conjunction with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and The Crawford School of Economics and Government at the Australian National University.
- LAFIA Asia 2010 will focus on Malaysia and Japan
- LAFIA Pacific 2010 will focus on Australia's Pacific neighbours—Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands and Tonga
Key senior executive government program
Each year senior executives from the Australian and New Zealand public sectors take part in LAFIA programs across the Asia–Pacific. More than 270 senior executives have participated in the LAFIA program, now in its seventeenth year. If you are a member of the APS Senior Executive Band 1, 2, or 3 (or equivalent) the program gives you the context and background for the international dimension of your senior leader responsibilities. Enhance your strategic leadership, build senior executive business and management skills, promote a greater understanding of the region and its significance and establish valuable contacts and networks.
If you are aspiring to elite levels of leadership within the Senior Executive Service you cannot go beyond the unique experiences, challenges and substantial rewards of LAFIA.
LAFIA Pacific 2010 (Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands and Tonga)
If you are a member of the Commonwealth, State or New Zealand public service senior executive (Band 1, 2 or 3, or equivalent) this program gives you the context and background for the international dimension of your senior leader responsibilities.
Enhance your strategic leadership, build senior executive business and management skills, promote a greater understanding of the region and its significance and establish valuable contacts and networks.
program background
Join a diverse and high profile group of senior executives as part of LAFIA Pacific 2010.
LAFIA Pacific 2010 analyses Australia’s contemporary engagement with the Pacific region. LAFIA encourages you as a senior executive to think about the effects of current developments within the region on Australia, your agency and yourself as a leader in government.
The unique and challenging political, economic, strategic and social issues in the Pacific region directly affect Australia’s strategic and economic directions and policies. Recent civil disorder in the Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea,and Tonga has heightened the need for greater awareness and understanding of the Pacific’s complex historic, cultural, socioeconomic and political background. Through a first hand understanding of the Pacific and its policy challenges, Australia plays a key role in securing stable economic development in the region.
LAFIA Pacific 2010 takes you on a study tour of Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands and Tonga specifically structured for leaders in government.
The Australian Government’s intention to actively re-engage with the Pacific nations’ remarkable progress in this arena makes it a compelling time to be part of LAFIA Pacific 2010.
LAFIA Pacific 2010 allows you to experience contemporary whole of government challenges that face the Pacific region initially through intensive pre-tour diplomatic and academic briefings. When in Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands and Tonga you will meet with senior government, business and community leaders, visit key political, commercial and community locations and engage in stimulating discussions with influential decision makers.
Key elements of the LAFIA Pacific 2010
- gain deep insights into the motivation of the people of the region
- broaden your understanding about Pacific institutions, culture and history
- cultivate an awareness of demographic profiles, social and economic context
- refine your understanding of political and strategic implications and
- conduct high level dialogue with political powerbrokers, business entities and government.
LAFIA Pacific 2010 is a distinctive contribution to enhancing your performance and leadership skills as a senior member of the Australian and New Zealand public sectors. Through a structured and tailored program designed to meet your portfolio needs and wider interests you are afforded a unique opportunity to experience first hand the social, economic and political dimensions that charge the Pacific.
LAFIA Pacific 2010 Program features
- Two-day Introductory Strategic Dialogue in Canberra
19 and 20 August 2010 - Two-week overseas study tour visiting Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands and Tonga
19 September to 3 October 2010 - A post-study tour reporting and evaluation session in Canberra
11 November 2010
LAFIA Pacific 2010 focuses on Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands and Tonga.
Papua New Guinea – 35 years after Papua New Guinea’s independence, Prime Minister Sir Michael Somare’s government continues to face many challenges in forging a united and stable nation from over 700 linguistically diverse communities separated by harsh geography. Aside from variances of language and culture, regional income disparities have created a trend of urban migration which has contributed to a higher incidence of violent crime and unemployment in the towns and cities. A significant 85% of PNG’s population still derive their income from farming. The booming mining and petroleum sectors will expand further in 2010 with several new projects coming on-line with China rapidly emerging as a key player in PNG’s major extractive industries. Australia however remains PNG’s most important trading partner and the PNG aid program represents one of Australia’s largest bilateral aid programs. LAFIA Pacific will explore the social and political complexities of effective governance in PNG and participants will be exposed to the challenge of equitable and sustainable development in a nation that is home to 2 of every 3 Pacific islanders.
Solomon Islands –The Solomon Islands is an archipelagic state that is progressively restoring law and order and rebuilding government institutions in the wake of sporadic ethnic conflicts that endured for four years. Tensions have subsided since then Prime Minister Sir Allan Kemakeza requested assistance in 2003 from 6 member states of the Pacific Islands Forum including Australia and New Zealand, which continue to provide the backbone of support through the Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands (RAMSI). Outcomes have been positive overall although the political stability will be tested in parliamentary elections which must take place by August 2010; providing LAFIA Pacific participants an excellent opportunity to review the contribution of RAMSI. The SI economy stagnated in 2009 as a result of the GFC but is expected to register growth again concurrent with a global recovery. Logging and fisheries predominate in the Solomon Islands’ exports but neither are sustainable industries. Economic diversification, possibly through tapping the archipelago’s rich but undeveloped mineral resources, will be crucial for sustainable development. LAFIA Pacific will closely examine the Solomon Islands’ future economic outlook, the current state of inter-ethnic relations, relations with China, options for youth employment, community attitudes towards RAMSI and the government’s relations with Australia and New Zealand.
Tonga – Home to the Pacific’s only monarchy, Tonga is set to finalise sweeping electoral and constitutional reforms this year in anticipation of general elections in November. King Siaosi Tupou V declared in 2008 that he would seek to relinquish much of his political power and establish a more democratic system of governance in time for scheduled elections in 2010 under new electoral laws. LAFIA Pacific will closely evaluate the progress of these major reforms and the challenges posed for the nation’s bureaucrats and lawmakers in meeting this deadline. The Tongan economy has oscillated between growth and contraction for several years, partly due to fluctuations in remittances, which comprise some 40% of GDP. External aid to Tonga is significant and helps to offset trade deficits resulting from the need to import a high proportion of its food and consumer products. Australia is Tonga’s most important bilateral provider of development assistance and offered emergency aid in response to the August 2009 ferry disaster and the September 2009 tsunami. The Tongan government has also announced bold plans to switch to sustainable energy and LAFIA will examine the ambitious policy options aimed at generating 50% of the country’s power from renewable sources within the next 3 years.
Introductory Strategic Dialogue
The Introductory Strategic Dialogue (ISD) is an intensive two-day briefing of Australia’s engagement with the Pacific designed to prepare you for your study tour. You will hear a diverse range of views focusing on the cultural, social, economic and political perspectives of the Pacific including key historical events as well as current and topical issues.
The ISD is conducted by the Australian National University’s Crawford School of Economics and Government.
The key to the success of the ISD is the quality of presentations from high profile professionals with long experience in engagement with the Pacific region. Over the two days you will hear from and interact with:
- leading ANU academics
- senior leaders from various Australian Public Service agencies
- Diplomatic representatives from countries including Papua New Guinea and New Zealand
- representatives from private sector corporations discussing the strategic context of business building in the Pacific.
Discussion topics for LAFIA Pacific 2010 ISD include:
- history and culture in the Pacific
- economic growth prospects, challenges and opportunities
- governance, accountability and democratic institutions in the Pacific
- future directions of the Pacific
- Australia’s interests in the region
- the pressures and opportunities posed by modernisation and globalisation
- the effectiveness of development aid and its sustainability
- security and policing in the Pacific
- doing business in the Pacific
- the role of strategic alliances
Study tour highlights
- roundtables with Australian, international and Pacific business leaders discussing business, finance and international trade
- formal cocktail receptions, dinners and informal discussions hosted by Australian diplomatic representatives in Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands and Tonga
- high level briefings by Australian diplomatic staff on Pacific economic, political, trade and security priorities
- intensive discussions with Pacific regional public sector counterparts
- stimulating forums with key Pacific non-government organisations and community leaders
- informative media sessions with Pacific journalists
- fully escorted visits to a range of Pacific historical, cultural and social attractions
- roundtable discussions with key government leaders and policy advisers on the Pacific’s bilateral and regional strategic policy agenda
- briefings with senior international and Australian aid representatives on aid priorities
- streamed visits and meetings tailored to your specific areas of interest
- structured free time to refresh reinvigorate and re-group
- insightful briefing sessions with Mr Bob Cotton, Visiting Fellow from the Crawford School of Economics and Government, ANU
Reporting and evaluation session
The reporting and evaluation session is the opportunity to reflect and share your experiences and those of SES colleagues about the LAFIA Pacific 2010 program to Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands and Tonga.
Specifically the session is an assessment of the personal and professional outcomes of LAFIA Pacific 2010 through its stated aims of:
- improving your understanding of Australia’s role in the Pacific
- enhancing your commitment to your agency and the role of the Australian and New Zealand public sectors
- positively re-assessing your leadership functions, responsibilities and outcomes
The reporting and evaluation session will be in Canberra on 11 November 2010.
The session will be followed by a LAFIA Pacific dinner.
Cancellation
Any cancellations from the program must be advised in writing. Written cancellations received before 17 August 2010 will be entitled to a full refund. Cancellations received after this date will incur full charges. Substitute participants of the appropriate level will be accepted up to 16 August 2010.
Further information
Closing date for application — Thursday, 20 May 2010. Complete and return the LAFIA Pacific 2010 registration form by facsimile to: 02 6250 4775.
For further information, please contact Brooke Morey on (02) 6202 3783.or email brooke.morey@apsc.gov.au.
