Albanese visiting Jakarta on the way home from the Quad to announce a $200 million climate and infrastructure partnership would be a strong start. As would the swift appointment of a senior statesperson such as Kevin Rudd or Malcolm Turnbull as ASEAN special envoy.

https://www.lowyinstitute.org/the-interpreter/imagining-labor-s-first-100-days-foreign-policy

An integrated national security strategy

Wong’s first act as foreign minister should be to commission the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade to develop a whole-of-government national security strategy to be delivered this year. A new guiding document must fully coordinate all dimensions of power – diplomacy, defence, intelligence, development – along the lines of the Integrated Reviewproduced by the United Kingdom. Most importantly, a new strategy must not duck difficult questions around resourcing, especially for diplomacy.

A big statement in the Pacific

While Albanese has said he would visit Solomons Islands if elected, that will be about defending Australian security interests. However, a positive vision for the regional is just as vital.

Climate change must be the centrepiece. Albanese should give a keynote address in the Pacific in his first month in office making clear that his government recognises “climate change is here now” as a “lived reality” for the region, alongside a firm commitment that Australia will reduce its own carbon pollution in line with the Paris Accord.

Albanese and Wong should quickly set about implementing Labor’s promise for a climate infrastructure partnership and recently announced plans to boost development assistance and labour mobility. Albanese should also confirm Australia’s intention to co-host a future global climate summit with Pacific counterparts. This should lay the groundwork for an ongoing dialogue with Pacific leaders and civil society on deeper integration to meet development challenges while addressing Australia’s security concerns.

On China, a new government should actually do very little. While reiterating openness to dialogue, this must be without preconditions. Labor must avoid the temptation for a “reset” given the implication that Beijing’s coercive tactics can be forgotten with a change of leadership. While Albanese and Wong should be less belligerent than the current government in how they talk about China, remaining consistent on national security and principled positions on human rights, for example, will demonstrate to Beijing that fundamental points of sovereignty and national identity are not up for negotiation.