Foreign Minister Julie Bishop will bring every ambassador back to Australia in an unprecedented move designed to help shape the final components of the Turnbull government's new foreign policy.
In an Australian-first step, 113 heads of mission - which includes the nation's ambassadors, high commissioners and consuls-general - will return for three days next month, as the government looks to reset how Australia navigates its foreign, trade and development policies on the global stage.
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Julie Bishop meets Mike Pence
In the first face-to-face meeting between senior White House and Australian government officials, Foreign Affairs Minister Julie Bishop met with US Vice-President Mike Pence. (Vision courtesy ABC News 24.)
Every head of mission, with the exception of a few whose terms are about to expire, will meet in Canberra for a two-day meeting with Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, Ms Bishop and Trade Minister Steven Ciobo, as well as a representative from Labor, to contribute to the long-awaited Foreign Policy White Paper, due to be delivered later this year.
The paper is being developed as Australia attempts to steer a course through an increasingly turbulent foreign landscape, which includes the Trump presidency, tensions over the South China Sea, anti-trade sentiment and global terrorism challenges.
"At a time of significant global uncertainty, it is vital that Australia harness the experience and intellect of our most senior diplomats," Ms Bishop told Fairfax Media.
"This meeting will be important in strengthening Australia's influence and standing in the world."
The last foreign policy white paper was published by the Howard government in 2003.
After discussing the nation's foreign and trade policy, the mission heads will be sent across the nation, with an emphasis on meeting key business and industry stakeholders in rural and regional Australia.
The cost of the temporary recall includes an estimated $1.1 million in flights and accommodation and $70,000 in venues. The cost will be taken from existing budgets, with no new funds attached to the initiative.
The government's so-called Global Heads of Mission Meeting has been in the works since last year, with the final details cemented only recently.
While other G20 nations, including the United States, Britain, China and Germany have established annual meetings of their diplomatic corps, Australia has traditionally held international meetings, flying Canberra-based staff to designated regional meeting points.
That approach has drawn criticism, most recently over a trip 23 DFAT staff made to Paris in September last year for a conference on saving money that subsequently cost taxpayers $215,000.
Meetings usually held overseas have now been cancelled, saving about $400,000, which has been reallocated to the heads of mission meeting.
While Australia is not expected to repeat the exercise annually, the government is considering holding more regular domestic heads-of-mission meetings as the nation deals with an increasingly crowded foreign policy platform.
The white paper was opened to submissions late last year.
Speaking about the paper last December, Ms Bishop said: "What we're looking for is a comprehensive strategic framework so that we are able to positively shape and have some influence over our national interests and shape things for the better, rather than reacting to events once they have occurred."
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