Looking to 2040: Developing Next-Generation Leaders and Policy Thinkers of the U.S.-Australia Partnership in the Indo-Pacific Region

Young Australians tend to be skeptical of the importance of the U.S.-Australia bilateral relationship; only 38 percent of Australians under the age of 45 said that our alliance is “very important,” according to a recent Lowy Institute poll. Confidence in democratic institutions among that age group is also in decline; according to the same poll, only 47 percent of young Australians believe that democracy is preferable to other forms of government. To address these trends, and develop policies that win support for our shared vision for a free, open, secure, and prosperous Indo-Pacific region, the U.S. Embassy in Australia seeks to fund a program that identifies, develops, and equips next-generation leaders to gain a greater understanding about the U.S.-Australia alliance, the common values and democratic principles that underpin our two societies, and our shared vision for the Indo-Pacific.