Australia’s diplomatic network has ‘serious gaps’ and needs boost, review warns

Foreign service is ‘stretched to the point of ineffectiveness’ as it tries to deal with a fragmenting world order, report says

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Some parts of Australia’s overseas diplomatic network are “stretched to the point of ineffectiveness” and need a staffing boost, a review has warned the government.

The review, overseen in part by the influential foreign policy expert Allan Gyngell who died last week, has identified “serious gaps” in Australia’s foreign service.