Development Intelligence Lab
@devintellab.bsky.social
The Lab is a think tank working on development cooperation in the Indo-Pacific. We're convinced that great development cooperation comes from unusual collaborations, inspired leadership, good natured debate, and cracking analysis.
Our Senior Analyst, William Leben – who is leading this branch of work at the Lab – will join Dr Anouk Ride, and Jo Podlesak, in Panel 4d ‘Development and conflict prevention in the Indo-Pacific’ chaired by Tania Miletic, on Friday 5 December, 8:30 am, at the Acton Theatre.
December 3, 2025 at 12:18 AM
Our Senior Analyst, William Leben – who is leading this branch of work at the Lab – will join Dr Anouk Ride, and Jo Podlesak, in Panel 4d ‘Development and conflict prevention in the Indo-Pacific’ chaired by Tania Miletic, on Friday 5 December, 8:30 am, at the Acton Theatre.
And join us at the Development Policy Centre’s Australasian Aid Conference 2025 this week at the Australian National University, where Lab analysts will be discussing conflict prevention and regional engagement.
December 3, 2025 at 12:18 AM
And join us at the Development Policy Centre’s Australasian Aid Conference 2025 this week at the Australian National University, where Lab analysts will be discussing conflict prevention and regional engagement.
And if you're around at the Development Policy Centre’s Australasian Aid Conference this week, drop by the dedicated session on this topic:
🔴 Panel 5a ‘Interrogating Australia’s Pacific integration agenda’ on Friday 5 December, 11:30 am, at the Molonglo Theatre.
🔴 Panel 5a ‘Interrogating Australia’s Pacific integration agenda’ on Friday 5 December, 11:30 am, at the Molonglo Theatre.
December 1, 2025 at 10:00 PM
And if you're around at the Development Policy Centre’s Australasian Aid Conference this week, drop by the dedicated session on this topic:
🔴 Panel 5a ‘Interrogating Australia’s Pacific integration agenda’ on Friday 5 December, 11:30 am, at the Molonglo Theatre.
🔴 Panel 5a ‘Interrogating Australia’s Pacific integration agenda’ on Friday 5 December, 11:30 am, at the Molonglo Theatre.
Our newest brief, ‘Integration as strategy: Australia’s Pacific agenda’ explores the challenges and trade-offs within Australia's integration agenda, and clarifies how it all comes together. 👉 www.devintelligencelab.com/analyses/integration-as-strategy-australias-pacific-agenda
www.devintelligencelab.com
December 1, 2025 at 10:00 PM
Our newest brief, ‘Integration as strategy: Australia’s Pacific agenda’ explores the challenges and trade-offs within Australia's integration agenda, and clarifies how it all comes together. 👉 www.devintelligencelab.com/analyses/integration-as-strategy-australias-pacific-agenda
Yet, as geostrategic competition intensifies, these initiatives reveal tensions between strategic, economic, developmental and domestic political interests for Australia and its Pacific Islands partners.
December 1, 2025 at 10:00 PM
Yet, as geostrategic competition intensifies, these initiatives reveal tensions between strategic, economic, developmental and domestic political interests for Australia and its Pacific Islands partners.
In the past 18 months alone, we have seen:
⚫ The Falepili Union.
⚫ The expansion of the Pacific Engagement Visa scheme and ABC Radio Australia.
⚫ A new Australia-PNG NRL Partnership, and treaties like Pukpuk and the Nakamal agreement (not yet signed).
⚫ The Pacific Banking Guarantee.
⚫ The Falepili Union.
⚫ The expansion of the Pacific Engagement Visa scheme and ABC Radio Australia.
⚫ A new Australia-PNG NRL Partnership, and treaties like Pukpuk and the Nakamal agreement (not yet signed).
⚫ The Pacific Banking Guarantee.
December 1, 2025 at 10:00 PM
In the past 18 months alone, we have seen:
⚫ The Falepili Union.
⚫ The expansion of the Pacific Engagement Visa scheme and ABC Radio Australia.
⚫ A new Australia-PNG NRL Partnership, and treaties like Pukpuk and the Nakamal agreement (not yet signed).
⚫ The Pacific Banking Guarantee.
⚫ The Falepili Union.
⚫ The expansion of the Pacific Engagement Visa scheme and ABC Radio Australia.
⚫ A new Australia-PNG NRL Partnership, and treaties like Pukpuk and the Nakamal agreement (not yet signed).
⚫ The Pacific Banking Guarantee.
🔴 ”…[Australia] should seize this moment to push for a system that is even marginally more accountable to the people it claims to serve.” - Eranda Wijewickrama, Humanitarian Advisory Group
Read their full responses 👉 www.devintelligencelab.com/intel/19augu...
Read their full responses 👉 www.devintelligencelab.com/intel/19augu...
The Intel • In a shifting multilateral order, what should Australia fight hardest to protect?
Responses by Daniel Hyslop, Lisa Sharland and Eranda Wijewickrama
www.devintelligencelab.com
December 1, 2025 at 12:18 AM
🔴 ”…[Australia] should seize this moment to push for a system that is even marginally more accountable to the people it claims to serve.” - Eranda Wijewickrama, Humanitarian Advisory Group
Read their full responses 👉 www.devintelligencelab.com/intel/19augu...
Read their full responses 👉 www.devintelligencelab.com/intel/19augu...
🔴 ”[Australia] should prioritise the centrality of human rights and civilian protection… and defend international justice mechanisms as core international peace and security.” - Lisa Sharland, Stimson Centre
December 1, 2025 at 12:18 AM
🔴 ”[Australia] should prioritise the centrality of human rights and civilian protection… and defend international justice mechanisms as core international peace and security.” - Lisa Sharland, Stimson Centre
🔴 ”If middle powers like Australia defended multilateralism as vigorously as some states exploit its gaps, the system would look very different.” - Daniel Hyslop, Interpeace
December 1, 2025 at 12:18 AM
🔴 ”If middle powers like Australia defended multilateralism as vigorously as some states exploit its gaps, the system would look very different.” - Daniel Hyslop, Interpeace
This question arose from an expert Dialogue held at the Lab in May– we felt it pushed us to think pragmatically about Australia’s priorities in a changing world. It was thoughtful, provocative, and quietly powerful.
Here’s what our authors had to say on the topic…
Here’s what our authors had to say on the topic…
December 1, 2025 at 12:18 AM
This question arose from an expert Dialogue held at the Lab in May– we felt it pushed us to think pragmatically about Australia’s priorities in a changing world. It was thoughtful, provocative, and quietly powerful.
Here’s what our authors had to say on the topic…
Here’s what our authors had to say on the topic…
🔴 ”Should we be using this moment to reshape modern economies to work less hours, to allow people to invest time into their families and communities, and to bolster civic participation?” - Pia Andrews, Serial Government Reformer.
Read their responses 👉 www.devintelligencelab.com/intel/22july...
Read their responses 👉 www.devintelligencelab.com/intel/22july...
The Intel • The use of AI is accelerating. What are we learning about the implications for development?
Responses by David Roach, Pia Andrews and Geordie Fung
www.devintelligencelab.com
November 27, 2025 at 10:03 PM
🔴 ”Should we be using this moment to reshape modern economies to work less hours, to allow people to invest time into their families and communities, and to bolster civic participation?” - Pia Andrews, Serial Government Reformer.
Read their responses 👉 www.devintelligencelab.com/intel/22july...
Read their responses 👉 www.devintelligencelab.com/intel/22july...
🔴 ”If you care about people, you need to care about AI.” - Geordie Fung, Development Intelligence Lab.
November 27, 2025 at 10:03 PM
🔴 ”If you care about people, you need to care about AI.” - Geordie Fung, Development Intelligence Lab.
🔴 ”With Big Aid receding and AI-driven disruption on the advance, both the ceiling of what’s possible and the floor of what’s secure are eroding.” - David Roach, Catalpa International.
November 27, 2025 at 10:03 PM
🔴 ”With Big Aid receding and AI-driven disruption on the advance, both the ceiling of what’s possible and the floor of what’s secure are eroding.” - David Roach, Catalpa International.
We think this edition struck a chord because the rapid rise of AI has left many in development asking the same questions. It helped readers make sense of emerging insights and understand where the big implications may lie
Here’s what our authors had to say on the topic…
Here’s what our authors had to say on the topic…
November 27, 2025 at 10:03 PM
We think this edition struck a chord because the rapid rise of AI has left many in development asking the same questions. It helped readers make sense of emerging insights and understand where the big implications may lie
Here’s what our authors had to say on the topic…
Here’s what our authors had to say on the topic…
The Lab will continue to build the evidence base for how conflict prevention is critical to development cooperation and Australian foreign policy.
November 27, 2025 at 12:09 AM
The Lab will continue to build the evidence base for how conflict prevention is critical to development cooperation and Australian foreign policy.
If you’re preparing a submission, take a look at the material available on our website: www.devintelligencelab.com/our-analysis, and join us at one of the many AAC 2025 sessions featuring Lab staff this week.
Our Analysis
At the Lab, we apply our analysis to live policy problems facing Australian development cooperation in the Indo-Pacific.
www.devintelligencelab.com
November 27, 2025 at 12:09 AM
If you’re preparing a submission, take a look at the material available on our website: www.devintelligencelab.com/our-analysis, and join us at one of the many AAC 2025 sessions featuring Lab staff this week.
That this issue has now reached formal parliamentary consideration reflects decades of work from Australia’s peacebuilding, development and policy communities. This inquiry is an opportunity to help shape how Australia positions itself to meet one of the region’s most pressing challenges.
November 27, 2025 at 12:09 AM
That this issue has now reached formal parliamentary consideration reflects decades of work from Australia’s peacebuilding, development and policy communities. This inquiry is an opportunity to help shape how Australia positions itself to meet one of the region’s most pressing challenges.
We also built BudgetLines, a tool to put 25 years of international-affairs spending at your fingertips— we know that meaningful conflict prevention requires looking beyond either the defence or aid budgets in isolation.
November 27, 2025 at 12:09 AM
We also built BudgetLines, a tool to put 25 years of international-affairs spending at your fingertips— we know that meaningful conflict prevention requires looking beyond either the defence or aid budgets in isolation.
Around this, there have been private roundtables, dialogues, features on Australia in the World and Asia Rising, meetings with MPs and advisers, and further analysis on how development serves the national interest and contributes to a more secure region.
November 27, 2025 at 12:09 AM
Around this, there have been private roundtables, dialogues, features on Australia in the World and Asia Rising, meetings with MPs and advisers, and further analysis on how development serves the national interest and contributes to a more secure region.
🔴 Platformed expert Pacific and regional voices in Intel edition on multilateralism and emerging conflict risks.
November 27, 2025 at 12:09 AM
🔴 Platformed expert Pacific and regional voices in Intel edition on multilateralism and emerging conflict risks.
🔴 Published a landmark brief proposing an ‘Australian Model’ for conflict prevention.
🔴 Written on the UN Peacebuilding Commission and on how Australia can advance its conflict-prevention ambitions.
🔴 Co-convened a major dialogue with The Asia Foundation and the Australian Government.
🔴 Written on the UN Peacebuilding Commission and on how Australia can advance its conflict-prevention ambitions.
🔴 Co-convened a major dialogue with The Asia Foundation and the Australian Government.
November 27, 2025 at 12:09 AM
🔴 Published a landmark brief proposing an ‘Australian Model’ for conflict prevention.
🔴 Written on the UN Peacebuilding Commission and on how Australia can advance its conflict-prevention ambitions.
🔴 Co-convened a major dialogue with The Asia Foundation and the Australian Government.
🔴 Written on the UN Peacebuilding Commission and on how Australia can advance its conflict-prevention ambitions.
🔴 Co-convened a major dialogue with The Asia Foundation and the Australian Government.