David Ingram's career has traversed several decades of shifting rationale for language policy in Australia. Government and institutional initiatives have at various times favoured traditional foreign language teaching, multicultural imperatives and language diversity, concern for Asian economically strategic languages, or a focus on literacy in English. Ingram's work has been based on the importance of the traditional teaching of languages in education, but his promotion of diverse rationales for language learning, together with his technological innovations such as the Australian (later International) Second Language Proficiency Rating, have given him a distinct place in the complex development of Australian language policy. While Ingram among others is now concerned that changes in government funding and overarching ideologies have recently been capricious in their effects on language issues, many of the innovative practices introduced in language education, broadcasting, language services and other areas have tenaciously survived.