Rudd’s Concept of an Asia Pacific Community

13 October 2009

Richard Woolcott AC

In June 2008, the Australian Prime Minister, the Hon. Kevin Rudd, spoke of the need to begin a "regional debate about where we want to be in 2020". In particular, he outlined the need for an Asia Pacific Community, in which there would be "dialogue, cooperation and action on economic and political matters and future challenges related to security." This speech, delivered to the Asia Society AustralAsia Centre in Sydney, certainly began a debate in Australia. During the speech, he appointed Richard Woolcott AC as Australia's envoy, to conduct discussions with governments in the region. Woolcott will speak about the Prime Minister's Community concept, the attitudes towards it in the region, and the likely future of debate in the area.

Broad Topics: Arts and Social Sciences

Sub-topics: Policy & Political Science

Areas: ANU College of Arts and Social Sciences

Richard Woolcott AC is the Founding Director of the Asia Society AustralAsia Centre and a founding member of the Australian American Leadership Foundation. He is also a member of the International Council of the New York based Asia Society. In June 2008 he was also appointed the Prime Minister's Special Envoy to develop an Asia Pacific Community concept.

He was Secretary of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade from 1988 to 1992.  Prior to that appointment he had held been High Commissioner and Ambassador in numerous countries, as well as being Australia's Permanent Representative to the United Nations (1982-1988). Mr Woolcott was closely involved with the establishment of the Asia Pacific Regional Economic Cooperation forum and in 1989 was appointed as former Prime Minister Hawke's Special Envoy charged with developing the APEC concept.  He has also carried out Special Envoy roles for Prime Ministers Holt, Whitlam, Howard and, most recently, Rudd.  

He is the author of The Hot Seat: Reflections on Diplomacy from Stalin's Death to the Bali Bombings, which was published in 2003 by Harper Collins and Undiplomatic Activities, published by Scribe in 2007.