Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has launched a bid for Australia to secure a temporary seat on the United Nations Security Council for 2029-2030, declaring a desire to promote a safer world "governed by rules, not by power and force alone".

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It is an ambitious global foray, but one that risks a severe domestic backlash from an electorate overwhelmingly focused on daily survival.

Mr Albanese insists the campaign will carry a "very modest" price tag. However, if past performance is any predictor, that claim rests on shaky ground.

When Australia last secured a seat for the 2013-2014 term, the official direct cost was tallied at $25 million. Yet the true price of entry was arguably much higher. To secure the crucial votes of African nations - who make up nearly 30 per cent of the UN membership and are vital to achieving a two-thirds majority - Australia embarked on a costly diplomatic blitz. Aid to the African continent skyrocketed, soaring more than fourfold from $US78 million in 2008 to $US400 million by the time the 2012 vote took place.

At present, Australia and Finland are the only two nominees for the two available vacancies. But if another nation throws its hat into the ring, Australia could quickly find itself trapped in an expensive bidding war.

Even the baseline $25 million figure is an eye-watering sum for regional communities that desperately need new medical centres, major school upgrades, or chemotherapy units at their local hospitals.

And for what exactly is the........

© Canberra Times