The Challenges Faced by an Asian-Australian Diplomat-To-Be

By Winuri De Alwis
Law and Global Studies student, Monash University

I have been calling Australia home for less than a decade. Yet I knew I wanted to represent the people of Australia on the world stage and serve my country.

I am a Sri Lankan-born Australian. Although I was bilingual from a very young age, Western culture featured prominently in my childhood with English, rather than Sinhalese being my first language. The presence of Western culture was heightened with my family’s move to Seychelles. Attending international kindergarten and primary school in Seychelles was akin to a miniature version of the international community. I had friends from almost every continent. It was a similar experience when I moved back to Sri Lanka at the age of seven and attended an international school. These formative experiences held me in good stead for life in multicultural Australia.

I decided, without any doubt, to pursue a career in international relations when I was in Year 12. Not once in the four years I have spent at Monash University did I consider the possibility that I would not reach the highest positions at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade or in the Department of Defence because I was a woman. Nor did it occur to me that I might be out of the running to be the next Julie Bishop, Marise Payne or Linda Reynolds because I didn’t look like Julie Bishop, Marise Payne or Linda Reynolds.

The Culture of Macho Leadership

The culture of Australian politics is macho and male-dominated. This impression is reinforced by the brawling language of politics; we are told we must “toughen up” and that “politics is not for the faint hearted”. Simultaneously, action to address the very real barriers women face when seeking a reputable career in public policy is still at an early stage.

With every policy exam I write, each internship I do, each assessment, report and unit I complete I am constantly training to be a better policy writer and more valuable asset to Australia – someone who can lead Australia’s foreign or defence policy. Emboldened by the leading roles of Julie Bishop and Linda Reynolds in creating the 2017 Foreign Policy White Paper and the 2020 Strategic Update respectively, I often imagine myself leading the development of foreign policy and speculate the impact my policy perspectives could have on ensuring a prosperous future for Australia.

In a 2018 study tour to Washington DC, I was excited at the prospect of working towards becoming the Australian Ambassador to the United States of America. However, a woman is yet to hold the office of a head of mission in several of Australia’s most prestigious postings, including Washington DC, Tokyo, London or Jakarta.

Only 1 in 3 heads of mission are women. With women so far overlooked for several top postings, Lowy Institute researchers suggest that “women are not seen as strategists or strategic leaders”, rather they remain support acts for the men who dominate Australia’s strategy and international relationships. The appointment of a number of women over the years to senior DFAT and Defence positions suggest change has been steadily occurring and there is a more promising future for Australian women in international public policy.

Three women have held the post of Australian Ambassador to the United Nations in New York – Penelope Wensley (1997-2001), Caroline Millar (acting, 2006) and Gillian Bird (2015-2019). Two women have held Australia’s top post in Beijing – Frances Adamson (2011-2015) and Jan Adams (2016-2019). Adamson would later be appointed as the first female Secretary of DFAT. Payne and Reynolds would then become Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade and Minister for Defence (roles previously held by Julie Bishop and Payne) – these women would lead Australia’s foreign policy and defence through the adverse geopolitical and security challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic and the rise of China.

DFAT Secretary Frances Adamson speaks with a local woman in Jakarta, Indonesia - November 21, 2017. Image credit: Australian Embassy Jakarta, Flickr.

These achievements suggest the “leaky pipeline” to seniority is being addressed. Although Adamson claims that “There are no roles in which women cannot serve overseas”, the point is not that women cannot serve, rather they rarely seek the opportunity to serve. The lack of inclination to apply for senior leadership roles occurs in the context of women performing as well as or even better than men across DFAT. In 2014, DFAT identified that the departments working culture and misapplication of the merit principle constrained women’s choices and prevented their professional advancement. In response Peter Varghese launched DFAT’s Women in Leadership Strategy which is now led by Adamson. Five years since its launch, the initiative has seen Australia leading gender diversity among senior diplomats.

Although progress is still nascent, the consistent advocacy on the importance of women in diplomacy and defence leadership alongside the visible results of such conversation gives me reason for hope.

The Value in Diversity

Although I’m sure many of my female friends see themselves becoming one of the handful of Anglo-Australian female leaders in diplomacy and defence, I would have to rack my brains to think of anyone who remotely resembled me in that leadership space. Although Asian Australians constitute 12% of Australia’s population, they remain largely absent from top leadership in government, DFAT and defence.

You could point to my goal of a career in international relations and say that not seeing a woman who ‘looked like me’ in the higher echelons of DFAT has not led me to relinquish my ambitions. Because even though there have been few women like me in a senior DFAT position, I believe I can make it there. But many Asian-Australian women do not.

At the 2019 National Conference of the Australian Institute of International Affairs, Penny Wong was asked by a Chinese-Australian university student how she could prove that she had Australia’s best interests at heart. Without a moment’s hesitation, Penny Wong replied, “You do not have to prove anything to me.” I remember clapping. Young Asian-Australians who call Australia home, should not have their loyalty questioned even before they begin their career in foreign affairs.

Australia sees multiculturalism as an integral part of its modern identity and many a Prime Minister has expressed pride in Australia’s multicultural society. Yet Peter Varghese suggests that “while multiculturalism has become the leitmotif of how we describe the country, at its heart, those who are successful in Australia are those who assimilate to Australia”. If one does not assimilate, the chances of success are low. In an era of growing nationalism around the globe, this trend is only likely to become more pronounced.

Making Australia home at the age of 12 was daunting. But my international experiences in Seychelles and Sri Lanka alongside my native grasp of English meant I didn’t constantly feel like an outsider based on the color of my skin. It didn’t stop me from practicing my Australian accent so that I would be considered Australian. In a matter of months, my Sri Lankan accent was forcefully scrubbed off. It wasn’t just my accent; I also adopted all the mannerisms of an ‘everyday Australian’. Within my Sinhalese family friend circles, I was seen as quite ‘Western’ whilst in my Australian circles I was seen as ‘ordinary’.

Recent research suggests that 61% of Asian Australians feel pressure to conform to the Western style of leadership which is at odds with an Asian style of leadership. For example, where Western culture rewards self-promotion and assertive communication, Asian culture, with its high regard for respecting seniority does not. I was brought up to respect those in senior positions and refrain from exuberant behaviour in a workplace. Those who expose such qualities are misinterpreted in Western society as lacking confidence.

Thus, it is unsurprising for Asian-Australians to feel they do not possess what it takes to be a politician, diplomat, defence analyst or intelligence officer. For Monica Tan, she did not “see” herself widely represented in politics and the lack of racial and gender diversity in Parliament initially alienated her from pursuing a career in this field. When people think of an ambassador or an Australian leader, a woman who looks like me does not come to mind. Frances Mao claims that this inability to see oneself in such positions is because people think of leaders in terms of who they know leaders to be – in Australia it is “predominantly male, predominantly  Anglo people”.

We don’t need Asian-Australian women in those positions solely to encourage the young generation of Asian-Australian leaders, those who are ambitious and resolute will fight to make it there. We need Asian-Australian women in those positions because it is better for Australia.

America but not Asia

Australia remains preoccupied with America and our Anglo Allies who reside on the other side of the globe. Last year Scott Morrison asserted that Australia’s “alliance with the United States…is our past, our present, and our future”. The recent Australia-United States Ministerial Consultations (AUSMIN) in Washington might give weight to the Prime Minister’s words yet the significant changes to alliances, power imbalances and Australia’s defence strategy suggest Australia’s relationship with the US is being reshaped. Although we remain linked, Australia is certainly considering “any future, no matter how unlikely”.

Australia’s own pivot to Asia has been encouraged by diplomats and strategic thinkers. The supposed global shift to regionalism could see Australia focus on its own backyard. The growth of Indonesia for example presents numerous opportunities for Australia’s engagement. China’s rise and mounting tensions in the Indo-Pacific suggest focusing in the Indo-Pacific would be an intelligent strategy. With the Indo-Pacific’s growing importance to Australia, Asian Australians should be considered assets in Australia’s engagement.

Asian-Australians have the ability to connect with Asia and its people through language and culture. This was clear in my recent study tour in Borneo, Malaysia, funded by the New Colombo Plan. I immediately connected to the people and culture. The simple, organic knowledge I possessed, like being able to properly wear a sarong or understand the power dynamics and traditions of South Asia helped forge deeper connections between myself and the local communities.

Such skills and basic knowledge can easily be taught to Anglo-Australians, but Asian-Australians have this in-built expertise that if developed further can be invaluable in diplomatic circumstances and help forge a special bond between Australia and its Asian neighbours.

An Untapped Asset

Young Asian Australians, especially women should not be discouraged from pursuing a career in diplomacy, defence or politics by fear of racism or sexism. The value we have to offer Australia is immense. Our unique perspectives informed by our experiences of being Asian can transform Australia’s foreign and defence policies in the Indo-Pacific and beyond.

The importance of diversity in our policy making cannot be undervalued. Julie Bishop echoes this sentiment, claiming “diversity in any circumstance makes a difference and… no nation can reach its potential unless it embraces the talents and abilities and skills and ideas of the 50% of the population that is female” or utilises all the resources it possesses.

Gender and race can seem like barriers to a career in diplomacy or defence. However, a brief look at the history of gender inequality and racial discrimination in these departments suggest Australia is on the right trajectory. Australia’s image of a leader is changing.

Our generation faces a variety of crises on an unprecedented scale and magnitude. Pandemics, climate change, cyber warfare, and foreign interference are likely to intensify. In order to ensure Australia’s security in the Indo-Pacific, greater investment in Australia’s human capabilities is crucial. It will contribute to more innovative policies, allowing Australia to reach its full potential through the capabilities of all Australians.

Winuri De Alwisis an intern at Asialink, studying Law and Global Studies (specialising in International Relations) at Monash University.

Banner image: UN Security Council hall, New York, USA - May 25, 2018. Credit: Andrea Izzotti, Shutterstock.