Conclusion

Abstract

In a brief conclusion, Ferns recaps the central claims of the book, reiterating the significance of developmental imperatives in Australian aid policy between 1945 and 1975. He also returns to a discussion of the significance of investigating Australian colonial policy in PNG alongside the Colombo Plan. Without incorporating these case studies, Ferns claims that it is impossible to get a full understanding of Australia’s involvement in the age of international development. Finally, the conclusion briefly addresses contemporary Australian aid policy, by discussing the ongoing tension between political and developmental imperatives that can be seen in Julie Bishop’s incorporation of AusAID back into the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), alongside the rising concerns over intensified Chinese interest in Papua New Guinean development.