"Previously, [the program] didn't have anything about a priority area. It was left up to the applicant to establish the case for why [the training] was important": Shauna Murray. Photo: Christopher Pearce

Fisheries and climate change, gender equality and even trade are not priority foreign affairs and development issues for the Abbott government if its latest round of Australia Awards Fellowships is any guide.

The scheme offers hosts in Australia up to $35,000 for short-term training of experts from developing nations. The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade says the 15^th round of such awards will have a particular focus on culture and sport.

"Fellowships that focus on culture or sport will receive additional weighting in the selection process," DFAT said.

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"Cultural exchange offers important benefits in terms of social cohesion within societies and increased understanding between cultures," the department said when citing reasons for the priority. "Sport can be a fun, non-threatening and informal way to bring people together to improve inclusion, improve health-related behaviours and communicate messages."

The emphasis on culture and sport baffles researchers such as Shauna Murray, from the University of Technology, Sydney, an institution that has hosted environmental officers from the Cook Islands being trained to identify and monitor the spread of potentially deadly toxin-producing microalgae.

"Previously, [the program] didn't have anything about a priority area. It was left up to the applicant to establish the case for why [the training] was important," Dr Murray said.

There was no mention of science or environment or climate change, all pressing issues for many Pacific islands, she said.

Among the issues noted by DFAT but eclipsed in priority by culture and sport were gender equality and empowering women and girls, disaster risk reduction and even trade.

The incidence of ciguatera poisoning in Rarotonga, the most-populated of the Cook Islands, was virtually unheard of 20 years ago, Dr Murray said. However, a big outbreak 15 years ago has had a big impact on the population ever since.

"They've stopped going spear fishing. People used to do that for food, recreation and also cultural reasons," she said. "Their diet has switched to fattier things, and it's affected people's health generally."