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A Chatham-house style dialogue.

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Your podcast guide to Australian development in the region.

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The home of cutting-edge Lab commentary.

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The Pulse Check is a survey run by the Lab.

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Where big picture AI thinking meetings practical solutions.

BudgetLines

Your guide to 25+ years of Australian international budgets.

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Our Analysis

Our Analysis is the home of cutting-edge Lab commentary.

At the Lab, we apply our analysis to live policy problems facing Australian development cooperation in the region. Below you'll find our take on the big questions shaping Indo-Pacific development
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Featured
October 2025

Deterrence, diplomacy and development: towards an 'Australian Model' for conflict prevention

William Leben, Martina Zapf
Dive in
Latest Analysis
In-depth
August 2025
Foundations Papers: Integrating Australian strategic policy and development
Examining the intersection of development and strategic policy.
Bridi Rice, William Leben and Ruby Saulwick
In-brief
August 2025
Two Years On: Australia’s development policy in a disrupted world
The ink is barely dry on Australia’s International Development Policy (IDP) and already the ground is shifting beneath it.
Mira Sulistiyanto, Bridi Rice, and Laetitia Chow
In-brief
May 2025
Pulse Check x Australia's Agenda
130+ non-government foreign affairs experts give their advice to the returning government.
William Leben, Mira Sulistiyanto, Ruby Saulwick, Tien Bui, Geordie Fung and Bridi Rice
In-brief
March 2025
Australia’s 2025 Federal Budget
Presenting Australia’s international affairs budget for 2025.
William Leben, Geordie Fung, Bridi Rice, and Ruby Saulwick
In-brief
March 2025
Pulse Check x U.S. Aid Disruptions
How should Australia respond? 150+ Southeast Asian and Australian experts give their perspectives.
Mira Sulistiyanto, Bridi Rice, Geordie Fung and Tien Bui
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Topic

Australia's Development Policy

Great strategy needs to understand what the known challenges are, and consider future trends. It also needs to listen to the voices and intelligence of the development community. This is exactly what the Lab has been doing as we consider next steps for the Government and new international development strategy.

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Situation Room wrap up
A New Strategy for Development
Situation Room wrap up: Explore a wrap up from our Situation Room on what is essential for Australia’s new development policy.
February 2023
In-depth
Pulse Check | Development Strategy
Full report: Take a dive into the decisions of the region’s top 100+ development thinkers as they tackle the tough questions shaping Australian development.
February 2023
In-brief
Development Policy Submission
Submission: Read the Lab’s additional submission to Australia’s international development policy which synthesises 50+ regional voices.
November 2022
In-depth
A Review of Reviews
Full report: Explore insights from four decades of reviews into Australia's development program and lessons we can learn.
January 2023
In-brief
A Review of Reviews Policymaker's Brief
Policymaker's brief: Explore a synthesis of the Lab's takeaways and lessons we found when diving into four decades of reviews into Australia's development program.
January 2023
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We respectfully acknowledge the Traditional Owners of the land on which The Lab listens, thinks and does its work. We pay respect to the First Nations Peoples and their elders, past, present and future.