Podcasts about Australian Aid

Season's Greetings Glocal Citizens! This week on the podcast, our first guest, Cordie Aziz is back with fresh insights from her work and life changes since our first conversation. Cordie, now a mother of three is Founder and Executive Director of Enviornment360 an NGO turned social enterprise that has successfully executed sustainable waste management projects in urban and coastal communities in Greater Accra and Kumasi. Cordie's achievements include creating of the first successful community plastic collection program in Accra; developing the first waste picker-run sorting center in West Africa; and successfully partnering with local and national agencies as the recycling coordinator for the city of Accra, to name a few. We recorded this conversation during the ramp up to their 10th anniversary celebration at their new headquarters. In this conversation, we catch up on how Cordie is designing her work-life balance with purpose, allowing her to continue to evolve as an entreprenuer while staying rooted in her new role as a working mother. Where to find Cordie? Check out the show notes (https://glocalcitizens.fireside.fm/252) from her first appearance. Other topics of interest: Jackson State University (https://www.jsums.edu) GhScientific (https://ghscientific.com) About Australian Aid (https://www.dfat.gov.au/sites/default/files/australian-aid-brochure.pdf) What is Verra (https://verra.org)? Special Guest: Cordie Aziz.

A remote Solomon Islands community is now finally able to have planes land in the rain, after New Zealand and Australian governments helped pay to upgrade the runway in Seghe. Both countries contributed around 25 million New Zealand dollars with Solomon Islands pitching in about 5 million. Caleb Fotheringham has more.

What is it like to put your life in Australia on hold and travel into a war zone? Many Australians put their hand up to become aid workers, visiting areas like Ukraine and Gaza - at a moment's notice. We spoke with one volunteer - who spent several weeks in Rafah.

Rescue efforts are continuing in Papua New Guinea, after the devastating landslide described as among the country's worst natural disasters. An Australian team of geotechnical experts are on their way to the site, where emergency responders are warning of the risk of disease and a further landslide.

There have been many moments described as "tipping points" since the war in Gaza began nearly six months ago. But this week's deadly Israeli air strike on an aid convoy may prove to be one of the most significant.

Why the new choice for the Governor-General is a wrong one, concerns rise over the new digital ID bill. Plus, why Hamas is to be blamed for the tragic death of Australian Aid worker Zomi Frankcom.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Prime Minister is demanding "full accountability" after an Australian aid worker was killed in an apparent Israeli air-strike in Gaza. 

Listen to the top News from Australia and India in Hindi.

An Australian aid worker was killed during an airstrike in Gaza, there could be chaos at Aussie airports on April 15, with aviation firefighters threatening to go on strike for four hours, Donald Trump has posted a 269 million dollar bond in his New York civil fraud case, Tori Spelling pulled a pretty savage move against her estranged husband, Dean McDermott, A netballer from the NSW swifts is in hot water over a comment she made about transgender people on social mediaSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to the 9News podcast. A snapshot of the latest stories from the9News team including: Australian aid worker killed in Gaza, Airport firefighters to strike, and frustration grows over Olympic venues. The biggest news stories in less than 10 minutes delivered three times a day,with reports from the 9News team across Australia and overseas. Subscribenow to make it part of your daily news diet.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to the 9News podcast. A snapshot of the latest stories from the9News team including:  ** Australian aid for the Middle East ** Online retailers targeted by scammers ** And the Aussies through to Round Two at the Australian OpenThe biggest news stories in less than 10 minutes delivered three times a day,with reports from the 9News team across Australia and overseas. Subscribenow to make it part of your daily news diet.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Interview with Mr Michael Kolokossian, Executive Director of the Armenian National Committee of Australia (ANCA). The main topics of discussion are the visit of the Australian parliamentary delegation to Armenia, Azerbaijan's unprovoked attack on Artsakh, the indigenous Armenian population of Artsakh forcibly displaced, Australian Aid for Artsakh Armenians, ANCA Gala nights in Melbourne and Sydney. - Հարցազրոյց Աւստրալիոյ Հայ Դատի Յանձնախումբի Գործադիր Տնօրէն Մայքլ Քոլոքոսեանի հետ:

The Government's “Australian Aid” programme has been funding an NGO in Sri Lanka, Suvadi, to conduct a yearlong programme, “Nourish North.”. - அரசின் Australian Aid (ஆஸ்திரேலிய உதவி) திட்டம், இலங்கையில் உள்ள சுவடி என்ற தன்னார்வ தொண்டு நிறுவனத்திற்கு, Nourish North – “ஊட்டமிகு வடக்கு” என்ற ஒரு வருட வேலைத் திட்டத்தை நடத்துவதற்கு நிதியுதவி வழங்கியிருந்தது.

Another 7.5 million Aussies now have access to a second booster shot Sri Lanka's President flees the country, amid its economic crisis Nick Kyrgios says he feels a great sense of relief, after his amazing Wimbledon final Shaun Mendes puts off his world tour, to look after his mental healthSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Another 7.5 million Aussies now have access to a second booster shot Sri Lanka's President flees the country, amid its economic crisis Nick Kyrgios says he feels a great sense of relief, after his amazing Wimbledon final Shaun Mendes puts off his world tour, to look after his mental healthSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Another 7.5 million Aussies now have access to a second booster shot Sri Lanka's President flees the country, amid its economic crisis Nick Kyrgios says he feels a great sense of relief, after his amazing Wimbledon final Shaun Mendes puts off his world tour, to look after his mental healthSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Our guests discuss whether or not Australia is doing enough for refugees and foreign aid. And is there more to the Ash Barty story? Tim Costello, Baptist minister and former CEO and Chief Advocate of World Vision Australia and Peter Hartcher, Political and International Editor of the Sydney Morning Herald

In the 2021-22 Budget the federal government boosted funding for the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) and invested in trade diplomacy by offering Australian businesses strategic and political risk analysis. But there were no major new commitments to foreign aid, despite calls from the sector.

Australian foreign aid has changed considerably in the last 20 years. Dr Terence Wood discusses the findings of a recently published report that examines the changing nature of Australian government aid through the lens of publicly available data on aid flows, which provide evidence of change and allow direct comparisons between Australia and other OECD Development Assistance Committee donors. These comparisons help highlight where Australian aid conforms with international norms of good giving, where Australia lags behind the global community, and where it is a global leader.Speaker:Dr Terence Wood is a Research Fellow at the Development Policy Centre. His research focuses on the domestic political economy of aid in donor countries, public opinion about aid, NGOs, aid effectiveness in poorly governed states, and Melanesian electoral politics. >> view presentation>> view reportChair:Ashlee Betteridge, Manager,  Development Policy Centre, The Australian National University Photo Credit: DFAT/Timothy Tobing/CC BY 2.0

For many Australians, White Ribbon was synonymous with the movement to end domestic violence. For others, it was a symbol of ignoring the voices of victim survivors, tokenism and taking much-needed money from women’s safety services. Now in a new chapter, under the custodianship of Communicare, White Ribbon Australia is taking a different approach – moving from awareness raising to advocacy and action; collaboration and amplifying other voices and organisations. New Executive Director, Brad Chilcott founded and convened the Family and Domestic Violence Advocacy Network in South Australia, created the annual Adelaide White Ribbon March, is on the Board of Reconciliation SA, and was named in South Australia’s 100 Most Influential People in 2018. He has also worked as the Interim CEO of Australians for Mental Health, and as advisor to Tim Costello and the Campaign for Australian Aid, leading the “Elite Influencers” strategy. In this week’s episode, Brad will delve into his personal journey into becoming White Ribbon Australia’s Executive Director, and share some of the changes he is focused on making in the broader movement to advance gender equality and end gendered violence.

Dr Faka’iloatonga Taumoefolau’s early life was beset with many challenges, with his parents separating when he was 9 years old and his mother passing away when he was 19 which meant relocation to Fiji to be brought up by an aunty.  Despite these early setbacks Faka’iloatonga Taumoefolau in 2010 was awarded an Australian Aid scholarship and did his Masters (with Merit) in International Affairs at the Australia International University.  In 2017 he got a New Zealand Aid Programme Scholarship to study for his doctorate at Victoria University of Wellington and in September last year submitted his doctoral thesis titled: “Siutakaheahoafā: Navigating the Kingdom of Tonga’s national development priorities under international aid”, focusing on how foreign aid supports the national development priorities of Tonga. Dr Taumoefolau has worked as a Research Analyst at the Australia High Commission and a Development Programme Coordinator at the New Zealand High Commission and while studying in Wellington worked for the Canada High Commission managing the Canada Fund delivering community funding to Fiji, Kiribati, Samoa, Tonga and Tuvalu . He is currently leading the rebuild of the Tonga Parliament.  Dr Taumoefolau is on the line with us now malo e lelei Dr Taumoefolau and thank you for making time to talk with us this morning. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week marks four years since Australia announced its ‘step up” in the Pacific. Graeme Dobell assesses the effectiveness of the policy, Australia’s standing and renewed interest in the Pacific and how relations might be strengthened throughout the region.

Get ready to meet Shani Cain. At just 26, she is the CEO of Oaktree Foundation, a Board Director of ACFID, an Executive Member of the Campaign for Australian Aid and has worked in many impoverished countries rebuilding local communities. Shani is someone who will inspire you to be more, do more, and give back more - This chat had me lost for words, and I know you'll feel the same! Support the show: https://www.instagram.com/_bloody_brilliant/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this panel event at the 2020 Australasian AID conference, John Langmore makes the case for stronger government and civil society commitment to conflict prevention and peacebuilding. Joanna Pradela argues that Australia should adopt a feminist approach to foreign policy, one that is grounded in gender equality. Pierre van der Eng analyses the rapid expansion of Australia's foreign aid to Indonesia during the 1960s and 1970s in the context of Australia's evolving foreign policy towards Asia. And Dave Green and Kaisha Crupi report on their analysis of Aid Program Performance Reports, including their purpose, how well they deliver on their purposes, the challenges associated with balanced public reporting on program performance, and the tension between public diplomacy and performance management objectives.Presenters:Security through sustainable peace (at 2:50 in)Professor John Langmore AM, School of Social and Political Sciences, University of Melbourne, and Dr Tania Miletic, Research Fellow, Melbourne School of Government, University of Melbourne Feminist foreign policy: A new approach for a new era (at 15:38 in) Joanna Pradela, Director, Knowledge Translation, International Women's Development Agency (IWDA), and Alice Ridge, Research Policy and Advocacy Adviser, IWDA >> view presentation‘Send them a shipload of rice': Food aid and Australia-Indonesia bilateral relations, 1960s–70s (at 29:35 in)Dr Pierre van der Eng, Associate Professor, Research School of Management, The Australian National University>> view presentationWhere's the dirty laundry? DFAT APPRs and the public diplomacy imperative (at 44:24 in)Dave Green, Principal Consultant, Clear Horizon and Kaisha Crupi, Consultant, Clear Horizon>> view presentationChair: Professor Caitlin Byrne, Director of the Griffith Asia Institute, Griffith University

Small Biz Matters – a half hour program each week where you can work ON your business rather than IN it.with Alexi Boyd, broadcaster, advocate and small business owner.Date: 19 May 2020 Incubators, accelerators, startup hubs. They seem to be popping up all over the place. Some are independant and others available through university programs. So what exactly are they and how do they give businesses the edge when starting out? Are they just for the techpreneurs who innovate in the digital world, or are other industries and sectors involved too? Today on the program we are joined by the CEO of Fishburners, Nicole O’Brien. Fishburners is a not for profit enterprise dedicated to “making the hardest thing you’ve ever done easier by providing the best facilities, resources, education, support and community of like-minded people to connect with and learn from.” Welcome to the show Nicole. Topics we’ll be covering: Why are startups so important to building a better Australia? How do you define a startup - is it a matter of being young or at the beginning of your small business journey? Why is Community central to startup success? How do organisations like Fishburners nourish a community with such a diverse range of startups in their community? What is the future of communities in Australia, post pandemic? (How do they differ from co-working spaces?) What are your top tips for continuing to collaborate & network when the face-to-face option is no longer there? What makes Fishburners different? What do we have to look forward to coming out of Australian startups over the next 5 years? To find out more go to their website: https://fishburners.org/   Nicole O’Brien BIO   Nicole is a social enterprise leader with a passion for improving lives and communities.     As CEO of Fishburners, Australia’s largest startup community and coworking space, Nicole leads a space for aspiring tech entrepreneurs to learn and communicate. The community has grown to more than 850 members and 400 startups, across its offices in Sydney, and Brisbane and Fishburners virtual platform.  Fishburners works closely with partnerships including Google for Startups, Jobs for NSW, Brisbane City Council,  UTS, Optus and Chartered Accountants ANZ.  High-profile alumni include: Koala, GoCatch, DesignCrowd, Code Camp, Tinybeans, Madpaws, Jayride, GradConnection and Hyper Anna.   Nicole’s career working with social enterprises in the not for profit sector began in 1989 at the Australian Conservation Foundation where she positively impacted on growing green consumerism whilst building the ACF’s revenue base. A trip to Asia followed with the opportunity to work on an Australian Aid project in Cambodia working with the Khmer Journalists association as a business Development Advisor to support the establishment of a free press. An exciting and optimistic time following the first Democratic elections in Cambodia and there was a lot to achieve, this led to work with the United Nations Development Program as a Communications Consultant and the Shandwick Group as a PR Executive working for the Cambodian Government.   Back in Australia Nicole worked for Team Publications, a start up with a new approach to organisational learning where she was charged with taking a range of management coaching tools to market. This was followed by a role as Marketing Manager for the women’s and youth titles. Following this period in publishing, Nicole’s passion for making a difference took over and she spent the next 10 years transforming the social enterprises of YWCA NSW and repositioning the organisation to be recognised for the critical support it provided to women and their families.   More recently, Nicole has been using her well-honed leadership, governance, financial, people, marketing and entrepreneurial skills to ensure that ACON Health continues to be the leading health promotion organisation providing opportunities for its community to live their healthiest lives.   Nicole holds a Bachelor of Arts in Education and Social Policy, Post Graduate in Marketing, Masters of Business Administration and is a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. She is mother to 15 year old Isabella and 9 year old Lachlan.

Australia's aid program to PNG is its biggest, its highest profile and most controversial. In this insightful keynote panel at the 2020 Australasian AID conference, Jonathan Pryke outlines the findings of his research into Australia's aid program to PNG, His Excellency John Kali CMG OBE discusses key changes in the way Australian assistance is being delivered, Terence Wood presents the findings of the third Australian aid transparency audit, and Stephanie Copus Campbell reflects on the panel's perspectives on delivering development outcomes in PNG.Panellists:Jonathan Pryke, Director, Pacific Islands Program, Lowy Institute>> view presentationDr Terence Wood, Research Fellow, Development Policy Centre>> view presentationH.E. John Kali CMG OBE, High Commissioner for Papua New Guinea to Australia>> view transcript (check against audio recording)Stephanie Copus Campbell, CEO, Oil Search FoundationChair: Anthea Mulakala, Senior Director for International Development Cooperation at The Asia Foundation

Australia’s aid program to PNG is its biggest, its highest profile and most controversial. In this insightful keynote panel at the 2020 Australasian AID conference, Jonathan Pryke outlines the findings of his research into Australia’s aid program to PNG, His Excellency John Kali CMG OBE discusses key changes in the way Australian assistance is being delivered, Terence Wood presents the findings of the third Australian aid transparency audit, and Stephanie Copus Campbell reflects on the panel’s perspectives on delivering development outcomes in PNG. Chair: Anthea Mulakala, Senior Director for International Development Cooperation at The Asia Foundation Panellists: Jonathan Pryke, Director, Pacific Islands Program, Lowy Institute Dr Terence Wood, Research Fellow, Development Policy Centre H.E. John Kali CMG OBE, High Commissioner for Papua New Guinea to Australia Stephanie Copus Campbell, CEO, Oil Search Foundation

Welcome to Finance and Fury, The Furious Friday edition You probably are exhausted about the coronavirus - What you probably haven’t heard about is A little known type of bond created in 2017 by the World Bank. The World Bank – Headquartered in Washington DC – back in June 2017 – issued Pandemic Emergency Financing Facility (PEF) – call them pandemic bonds Technically their debt/lending arm – the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development Facility created by the World Bank to channel surge funding to developing countries facing the risk of a pandemic Is an international organisation created in 1944 – part of the Brenton woods era of creation of agencies The World Bank has two main goals: to end extreme poverty and promote shared prosperity – does this primarily by providing loans to its borrowing member government clients in middle-income countries Loans in the form of bonds – done so through the international capital markets for 70 years to fund its activities 2017 – the World Bank issued $425 million in a new type of “pandemic bonds” - Marks the first time that the World Bank is in the business of infectious diseases – with a maturity in just a few months – July 2020 Was oversubscribed by 200% - with investors eager to get their hands on the high-yield returns on offer World Bank Group President Jim Yong Kim said. “We are moving away from the cycle of panic and neglect that has characterized so much of our approach to pandemics. We are leveraging our capital market expertise, our deep understanding of the health sector, our experience overcoming development challenges, and our strong relationships with donors and the insurance industry to serve the world’s poorest people. This creates an entirely new market for pandemic risk insurance. I especially want to thank the World Health Organization and the governments of Japan and Germany for their support in launching this new mechanism.” How does it work - Investors buy the bonds and receive regular coupons payments in return but if there is an outbreak of disease, the investors don’t get their initial money back PEF financing to eligible countries will be triggered when an outbreak reaches predetermined levels of contagion, including number of deaths; the speed of the spread of the disease; and whether the disease crosses international borders. The determinations for the trigger are made based on data as reported by the World Health Organization (WHO) There are two varieties of debt, both scheduled to mature in July 2020. First bond raised $225 million - coupon rate of around 7% p.a. Payout on the bond is suspended if there is an outbreak of new influenza viruses or coronavirus (SARS, MERS). The second, riskier bond raised $95 million at an interest rate of more than 11%. This bond keeps investors’ money if there is an outbreak of Filovirus, Coronavirus, Lassa Fever, Rift Valley Fever, and/or Crimean Congo Hemorrhagic Fever. The World Bank also issued$105 million in swap derivatives that work in a similar way to protect the losses Done to attract a wider, more diverse set of investors – as it minimises the loses Countries eligible for financing under the PEF’s insurance window are members of the International Development Association (IDA) – an arm of the World Bank Group that provides finance for the world’s poorest countries The PEF, under its insurance window, has the capacity to provide payments up to a maximum of US$ 425 million during its initial 3-year period for all qualifying outbreaks combined But the catch is that there are established ceilings of maximum payments for each of the disease families covered. The maximum payout per disease is capped at US$275 million for pandemic Flu, US$150 million for Filovirus - but US$195.83 million for Coronavirus – less than half of funds raised Technical side to these bonds – in essence - are a combination of bonds and derivatives priced today (insurance window), along with a cash window, and future commitments from donor countries for additional coverage – convoluted and complex structure What are these windows - The PEF has two windows. The first is an ‘insurance’ window with premiums funded by Japan and Germany, consisting of bonds and swaps including those executed today. The bonds and derivatives for the PEF’s ‘insurance’ window were developed by the World Bank Treasury in cooperation with leading reinsurance companies Swiss Re and Munich Re - Swiss Re Capital Markets is the sole book-runner for the transaction Swiss Re Capital Markets Limited, Munich Re and GC Securities were also joint arrangers on the derivatives transactions. The bonds will be issued under IBRD’s “capital at risk” program because investors bear the risk of losing part or all of their investment in the bond if an epidemic event triggers pay-outs to eligible countries covered under the PEF. The second is a ‘cash’ window, for which Germany provided initial funding of Euro 50 million. The cash window will be available from 2018 for the containment of diseases that may not be eligible for funding under the insurance window.   A pandemic has been called - The premiums bondholders have received thus far were largely funded by the governments of Japan and Germany, with some from Australian Aid – seems like the taxpayers have been covering the costs of this – Like the whole funding for the WHObehind the United States and United Kingdom -but yet Reports have claimed that most of the bondholders are firms and individuals based in Europe – so using tax funds to pay the investors in these bonds Claims that investors who purchased those products could lose millions – Who bought these? - Asset managers – about 16% - Pension funds about 42% of the risky bonds – but the derivative positions should cover most But the individual list of bondholders are not publicly available – just the types of funds Market analysts and non-aligned economists have argued that these pandemic bonds were never intended to aid low-income pandemic-stricken countries - instead to enrich the financial sector American economic forecaster Martin Armstrong went on the record to call the World Bank’s pandemic bonds “a giant gamble in the global financial casino” – due to the derivative structures and counterparty risk - these bonds could present a structured derivative time bomb – all exploding at the same time the government controls around the pandemic are tanking markets    Armstrong went on to say that it is in WHO’s interest to declare the coronavirus outbreak a pandemic, but noted that, in doing so, they would cause bondholders to take a significant loss bottom of forms – but only if the derivatives don’t provide shift the risk to the counterparties Irony of this scheme - – ineffective for doing anything to reduce an outbreak – or provide funding in a timely manner These pandemic bonds fund created by the World Bank “to channel surge funding to developing countries facing the risk of a pandemic” and the creation of these so-called “pandemic bonds” was intended to transfer pandemic risk in low-income countries to global financial markets – remember this was the WHO who backed the World Bank’s initiative – as triggering a pandemic is in their authority Many policymakers have criticized the World Bank's pandemic bonds - Under their provisions, the bonds haven't yet made any payouts to threatened countries, because their terms require a waiting period of 12 weeks from when the triggering outbreak began Goes against what advocates said these pandemic bonds are meant to do. There was initially a belief that money would become rapidly available to countries early on in an outbreak If the goal was to stop a disease from spreading to new countries, then time was of the essence in setting a triggering event -- and unnecessary delays are incredibly counterproductive. Critics, however, have called the unnecessarily convoluted system “World-Bank-enabled looting” that enriches intermediaries and investors instead of the funds intended targets, in this case, low-income countries struggling to fight a pandemic. These critics have asked why not merely give these funds to a body like the Contingency Fund for Emergencies at the World Health Organization (WHO), where the funds could go directly to affected countries in need. Even Larry Summers, the former World Bank chief economist and the Secretary of the US Treasury who recommended sending garbage to poor countries dismissing the PEF as “financial goofiness.” The program was “designed to fail” because the bonds were crafted in order “to reduce the probability of payout but also limit the amount of funds to be paid out in an event to the derivative counterparties Current triggers guarantee that payouts will be too little because they kick in only after outbreaks grow large.   Summary  It appears that All of this was created to enrich financial speculators rather than just providing funding for an outbreak Anyway - Remember – the world bank ‘loans’ funds to third world nations – like all banks it isn’t a gift Gets these low-income nations in a position further indebtedness to the World Bank – denominated in USD So whilst the USD is surging right now due to the panic for people trying to get more of the reserve currency, the level of funds that have to be repaid grows Problem with this – we just have to take their word on it – there is zero evidence they actually do what they say – and they are the ones saying they do this Who knows if the money gets paid out or if it goes towards helping reduce the spread – as others have said – it is too little too late. Thank you for listening to today's episode. If you want to get in contact you can do so here: http://financeandfury.com.au/contact/

What happens when we become sick and how does good health rely on a strong system? On this episode we look at the challenges a young health system faces in a developing context. Our Adviser, Camilla Burkot interviews Dr Josh Francis, the Chief Investigator for the research project STRONG TL- to talk about the health needs of Timor-Leste, superbugs that are not super and more on the STRONG TL projected funded by the Australian Aid program through the Indo-Pacific Centre for Health Security.

Welcome to Episode 66 of Good Will Hunters, from the Development Policy Centre. Today’s guest is Virisila Buadromo. Virisila is a Pacific feminist and political activist, who co-leads the Urgent Action Fund for Women’s Human Rights for Asia and the Pacific, which is a rapid grant making facility to support female-identifying activists who need urgent assistance. Prior to joining the Urgent Action Fund, Virisila was at the helm of the Fiji Women’s Rights Movement for 14 years. Virisila recently presented at the Australian Aid Conference, on the topic of donor funding for women and girls throughout the Pacific. She also appeared on Q&A in November 2019, alongside former guests of this program, Minister for International Development and the Pacific Alex Hawke and the Honourable Enele Sopoaga, former Prime Minister of Tuvalu. In this episode, Virisila and I discuss human rights in Fiji, and whether climate change is used to deflect scrutiny away from other issues, including the treatment of women, girls and marginalised groups. There is very little media coverage of human rights issues in Pacific Island Countries, in particular in Fiji. Rather, when we discuss matters affecting Pacific Islands, we almost exclusively discuss climate change. But, climate change is a vulnerability multiplier, meaning any social issues that already existing will only be made worse as the climate crisis intensifies - in the case of Fiji, this is a worsening of the situation of women and girls. But, Virisila and her colleagues tackle the issue everyday, and most recently published a paper on why donors are giving so little to local women’s organisations in the region, and why the same organisations are struggle to manage the stringent accountability requirements of donors. But the money is urgently needed, as you’ll hear in this episode. We also discuss conflicting notions of feminism, the fake news epidemic and imposter syndrome, plus ways to create platforms that allow other people to speak their truth, in particular non-English speaking women in the region. This is an important episode and will shine a light on some heavy issues, that require more reporting - I know we’re inly skimming the surface but I’m eager to share these insights with you and spark an important conversation. You will have heard me say at the outset of this episode, that Good Will Hunters was being presented from the Development Policy Centre. Many of you would know that the Development Policy Centre is in the Crawford School of Public Policy in the Australian National University. It is a leading global think-tank supporting the international development community, by undertaking research and promoting practical initiatives to improve the effectiveness of Australian Aid and contributing to better global development policy. We’re so excited to be entering into this partnership, to further strengthen dialogue and research on aid and development in Australia, and give voice to more experts from throughout the region. You’ll be hearing more about the partnership and the Development Policy Centre in the coming weeks, and I welcome your input on how we can continue to be the leading media platform dedicated to aid and development, globally. Links: Urgent Action Fund for Asia and Pacific: https://www.uafanp.org The Development Policy Centre: https://devpolicy.org QANDA Pacific: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=izIVV6cDBms Enjoy, The GWH Team

Welcome to Episode 59 of Good Will Hunters, with Nigel Spence, the Outgoing CEO of ChildFund Australia. Nigel retired from ChildFund at the end of 2019, after 14 years with the organisation. Under his leadership, ChildFund has expanded its programs to children and young people in Vietnam and Papua New Guinea, and commenced new operations in Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Timor-Leste. Nigel is taking some time off to continue his studies into child protection policies in Vietnam, before continuing his work in the social sector in Australia. You may recall a few weeks back I aired the talk that Nigel delivered at the Pawa Liklik NGO Forum organised by the Kokoda Track Foundation in Sydney in October 2019. In this episode Nigel and I dive a bit deeper into some topics that are very important to our sector, including Sport For Development, our Aid Review and Child Sponsorship. In this episode, you’ll hear Nigel and I talk about ChildFund’s work in the area of sport for development. It feels like sport and aid programs were once an unlikely pair, but in recent years many NGOs in Australia have implemented sports-based programs as a means of building relationships in communities, teaching vital skills, combating non-communicable diseases and more. In fact, Australian Aid has been funding sport for development programs since 2009. According to the DFAT website, sport is a vehicle to achieve development outcomes in areas such as health, gender and disability inclusion. In my view, sport has it’s own inherent benefits to communities but it’s also an effective means of outreach and relationship-building, and has flow on effects to other development programs. As a country that provides itself on sport, it also makes sense for sport to be part of our unique aid identify. In this episode we also discuss why economic growth doesn’t always equate to widespread poverty reduction, despite popular belief that the two go hand in hand. Countries in South East Asia especially exemplify that increased economic growth alone doesn’t result in improvements nationwide to the wellbeing of communities. This part of the discussion gets to the heart of why economic growth doesn’t always justify decreased aid support. The other topic I particularly like in this discussion is child sponsorship. ChildFund continues to have child sponsorship as an element of its fundraising and outreach strategy, however has diversified into several other funding streams as well. Nigel and I chat about how child sponsorship has evolved as child protection laws are tightened, and how exactly ChildFund administers sponsorship funds. So - where do you sit on the sport for development agenda and should it play an even bigger role in our aid policy? Where has economic growth not equated to widespread poverty reduction and how do we rewrite this narrative? And lastly, how do we build connections between Australians and people in countries our aid supports, with respect for cultural nuance and identity? Enjoy, Rachel and the GWH Team

Welcome to Episode 56 of Good Will Hunters, with Stephen Howes. Stephen is a Professor of Economics at the Crawford School of Public Policy at the Australian National University. Stephen is also the Director of the Development Policy Centre. The Centre is a leading think tank on aid and development, undertaking independent research and promoting practical initiatives to improve the effectiveness of Australian aid. A few weeks back Stephen and I were on a panel together at the Pawa Liklik NGO Forum organised by the Kokoda Track Foundation, and following that I asked him to be on the show. More recently, Stephen wrote an article for the Lowy Institute on our recent interview with Minister Alex Hawke - https://www.lowyinstitute.org/the-interpreter/stepping-pacific-expense-pakistani-women-and-girls In this episode, we discuss the Australian Aid program, including the Pacific Step-Up, InnovationXChange, Biltaeral Aid Investment Plans, and the refresh of the aid policy that’s on the horizon. We also discuss the challenges Pacific Islands face with the Seasonal Workers Program and other labour schemes in Australia. And lastly we discuss the connection between academia and NGOs and the rise of evidence-based programs along with the notion of aid effectiveness. I hope that many of you working in NGOs will reach out to an academic after you listen to this episode and find a way to work together. Enjoy, Rachel and the GWH Team

Michelle graduated from Trinity College, University of Dublin, Ireland in 1991 with an honours degree in Sociology and German, before training as a journalist. She then worked for newspapers and magazines (both political and lifestyle) for more than 20 years, in Ireland, Britain and then Australia. Michelle's most recent position as a journalist was at The Canberra Times, as editor of the Saturday edition's news review and analysis section. Michelle later moved into academia, joining the Faculty of Arts & Design at the University of Canberra as a Teaching Fellow in Journalism & Communication in 2011. Here, she educated students on political and strategic communication. She received a Communications doctorate in 2015, for her research into the Australian media's representation of Indigenous opposition to the Northern Territory Emergency Response 2007, also known as the Intervention. Michelle then worked as a researcher for the University of Canberra's News & Media Research Centre, specialising in media representation of marginalised groups. Following this, she worked as External Affairs & Media Adviser to Amnesty International Australia. Her most recent role was as Capacity Building Outreach adviser to the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research, a small government agency under the Australian Aid umbrella. She now works here with us, at contentgroup, as a Senior Communications Strategist. Discussed in this episode: What makes a good journalist Finding the story for your audience Six tips for writing a great story Balancing creativity and consistency for campaign success The benefits of a simple approval process The challenges that come with everyone being a storyteller The importance of curiosity in the workplace Michelle's advice for the modern communicator Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Michelle graduated from Trinity College, University of Dublin, Ireland in 1991 with an honours degree in Sociology and German, before training as a journalist. She then worked for newspapers and magazines (both political and lifestyle) for more than 20 years, in Ireland, Britain and then Australia. Michelle’s most recent position as a journalist was at The Canberra Times, as editor of the Saturday edition’s news review and analysis section. Michelle later moved into academia, joining the Faculty of Arts & Design at the University of Canberra as a Teaching Fellow in Journalism & Communication in 2011. Here, she educated students on political and strategic communication. She received a Communications doctorate in 2015, for her research into the Australian media's representation of Indigenous opposition to the Northern Territory Emergency Response 2007, also known as the Intervention. Michelle then worked as a researcher for the University of Canberra’s News & Media Research Centre, specialising in media representation of marginalised groups. Following this, she worked as External Affairs & Media Adviser to Amnesty International Australia. Her most recent role was as Capacity Building Outreach adviser to the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research, a small government agency under the Australian Aid umbrella. She now works here with us, at contentgroup, as a Senior Communications Strategist. Discussed in this episode: What makes a good journalist Finding the story for your audience Six tips for writing a great story Balancing creativity and consistency for campaign success The benefits of a simple approval process The challenges that come with everyone being a storyteller The importance of curiosity in the workplace Michelle’s advice for the modern communicator

On Wednesday 1 May, former World Bank Vice President Jim Adams presented his reflections on the performance of the Australian aid program. He is stepping down as Chair of DFAT's Independent Evaluation Committee after seven years in the role, and joined us at ANU to discuss how to build a robust performance culture based on accountability, transparency, learning and appropriate risk management.

‘Sport and development’ refers to the use of sport as a tool for development and peace. It is now being increasingly used throughout the Pacific as a method to drive outcomes in areas such as health, social cohesion, gender equality and disability inclusion. We speak with Aaron Kearney, ABC journalist, broadcaster and member of the International Development team about the programs he has worked on throughout the Pacific and how they are delivering social change.Aaron Kearney is a multi-award winning broadcaster, journalist and sports commentator with the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. As a member of the ABC’s International Development team, he has led the communications support for the Pacific Sports Partnership, an Australian Aid program that promotes gender equality, disability inclusion and a variety of health benefits. Aaron has also worked as a commentary lead, training and mentoring female journalists across the Pacific in the Women In News and Sport (WINS) initiative.This podcast is brought to you by Cufa, an international development agency alleviating poverty across the Asia Pacific .

Welcome to Episode 1 of Good Will Hunters, with Dr. Genevieve Nelson. Today, we discuss the organisation Gen leads, the Kokoda Track Foundation, and the incredible impact the organisation has had on PNG. We talk state failure, achieving development goals, walking the Kokoda Track, training teachers in the most remote parts of the country, and why collaboration with the private sector can be a game-changer for civil society, plus loads more! 1:40 - PNG is not a failed state 2:50 - PNG and the MDGs/SDGs 6:00 - PNG’s natural resources and land ownership 7:08 - Australia’s legacy of camaraderie in PNG 10:07 - The evolution of KTF in PNG 12:20 - Poverty as a lack of basic services 14:52 - Development in the Kokoda Track catchment 18:00 - Challenges of collaboration in PNG 19:10 - Potential of tourism for development in PNG 21:40 - The life-changing experience of walking the Kokoda Track 22:53 - KTFs Archer Leadership Program 27:12 - Corporate partnerships - vital to success 28:38 - KTF’s Teach for Tomorrow Program - one of my favourite parts! 35:12 - Australia-PNG opportunities for private and civil collaboration 37:56 - KTF and Solar Buddy tackling energy poverty 40:32 - Non-traditional sources of aid 42:48 - The importance of Australian Aid to PNG 45:10 - Private sector has a ‘third seat' on the aid table Royalty Free Music by Bensound

This forum on 11 April focused on the recent DFAT evaluation of effectiveness and credibility of Australian support for advocacy and disability-inclusive development. The evaluation was presented by Karen Ovington, one of the authors, and commented on by Mika Kontiainen, Director of the Disability Section at DFAT, and Colin Allen, Chair of the International Disability Alliance. The event was chaired by Peter Versegi, First Assistant Secretary of the Office of Development Effectiveness, DFAT, and closing comments were provided by Jim Adams, Chair of DFAT's Independent Evaluation Committee.

Speakers: Staff from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Cardno, and The Australian National University. This forum, which was jointly organised by the Development Policy Centre and the Office of Development Effectiveness (ODE) and held on 11 August 2017, was the latest in a series on the evaluation of Australian aid. It focused on two recent evaluations. The second evaluation, discussed in this podcast, focused on pandemics and emerging infectious diseases, with the view of contributing to the evidence base on strengthening health systems in the Asia-Pacific region to prevent, detect and respond. The evaluation informed decision-making about future Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) investments and policy engagement on regional health security, and approaches for future DFAT responses to disease outbreaks. The evaluation also contributed to the literature on lessons learned from previous outbreak responses, with a focus on impact on human and animal health systems and community engagement on prevention and detection of emerging infectious diseases.

Speakers: Staff from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Cardno, and The Australian National University. This forum, which was jointly organised by the Development Policy Centre and the Office of Development Effectiveness (ODE) and held on 11 August 2017, was the latest in a series on the evaluation of Australian aid. It focused on two recent evaluations. The first part, discussed in this podcast, was an end of program review for the Basic Education Assistance for Muslim Mindanao (BEAM-ARMM) program, which involved four implementing partners working across four distinct components in the conflict-affected Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao. It’s objective was to contribute to poverty alleviation and sustainable peace, through increasing access and quality of basic education, and training for Out of School Youth. The review highlighted some of the challenges and lessons for evaluating and achieving improved educational outcomes in complex, high-risk environments.

The Paga Hill community in Papua New Guinea have spent years resisting an Australian-run developer, Paga Hill Development Company, determined to build a 5-star hotel and marina on their land. The new complex is intended to host the 2018 APEC meeting, supported by Australian aid funding.‘The Opposition' is a film that has survived censorship attempts to expose the corruption and human rights abuses suffered by the evicted Paga Hill residents. It is also a call out to the international community to hold the Australian entities involved accountable, in solidarity with the people at the brutal edge of aggressive corporate development.Guests:Hollie Fifer, Director of The OppositionNatalie Lowrey, AID/WATCHBrynn O'Brien, Jubilee AustraliaTake action: www.aidwatch.org.au/theopposition/Image: Joe Moses and the Paga Hill communityAudio from the film, The Opposition.Music from the Free Music Archive.

This year is the first after three years of cuts in which the aid budget is slated to increase – by $84 million. While only enough to keep the aid budget growing with inflation, how will this new money be spent? Health funding has been almost halved in real terms over the last four years. Will the government release information on its long-awaited health security initiative? At this year’s aid budget breakfast, we will also review the 2016 Performance of Australian Aid report and the 2015-16 Aid Program Performance Reports. Join the morning after the budget for the fifth annual aid budget breakfast to learn what the 2017-18 budget means for the future of Australian aid. Speakers are included Professor Stephen Howes, Director of the Development Policy Centre, Crawford School, ANU; Jacqui De Lacy, Vice President of Global Strategy, Abt Associates; and Dr Anthony Swan, Research Fellow at the Development Policy Centre, Crawford School, ANU. Livestream available here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2zdUnYvoH2c

In this podcast, you'll hear a discussion forum, jointly organised by the Development Policy Centre and the Office of Development Effectiveness (ODE), which is the latest in a series on the evaluation of Australian aid. The event focuses on the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade's (DFAT)new aid evaluation policy and two recent evaluations. Recently, DFAT has overhauled its approach to evaluation, with a new Aid Evaluation Policy and, for the first time, an Annual Aid Evaluation Plan - both available on the ODE website. The Head of ODE will explain what these mean, and what difference they will make. The $336 million, ten-year Eastern Indonesia Roads Improvement Program was one of Australia's largest ever aid projects, and one of the most successful. This recent ODE evaluation assesses its results, and draws out the lessons for aid-funded infrastructure programs elsewhere. Remote service delivery in PNG is always a challenge. But a recent evaluation of remote health patrols run by Australian Doctors International (ADI) in New Ireland from 2011 to 2015 suggests that this is a model that works. Hear from the evaluator on her findings, and from the ADI Chief Executive Officer on how ADI is responding. ODE is an operationally independent unit within DFAT that measures and reports on the effectiveness of the Australian aid program.

Finally! An actual new ep! And what an ep it is. Comedian, writer and broadcaster Nish Kumar hosts topical comedy show Newsjack on the BBC and has been twice nominated for the Edinburgh Comedy Award. He writes very smart, politically charged comedy and his laugh is glorious to behold. Here Nish and I discuss the current "spicy meatball" of a political period the UK is experiencing. From the concept of "right-wing comedy" to post-Brexit xenophobia to Jeremy Corbyn to Jo Cox to Trump to Hanson, this has got everything you've been craving.  The World Keeps Happening at the Soho Theatre Campaign for Australian Aid’s Comedy Gala Who The Bloody Hell Are We? Boundless Plains To Share at the Belvoir Theatre, January 2017 Article: Why triple j moving the Hottest 100 could reset the convo around Australia Day by Chloe Sargeant @MrNishKumar nishkumar.co.uk Nish's 2016 tour dates Newsjack on BBC Radio 4 Extra Article: Brexit: a disaster decades in the making by Gary Younge Fences: A Brexit Diary by Zadie Smith Article: No one told me to go home for 16 years then we voted for Brexit by Nish Kumar  Video: What can a satirist do with our post-truth politics? by Nish Kumar Cause of the Week: We Love Immigration: A Comedy Night for Migrant Rights Network, Help Refugees UK (helprefugees.org.uk)  

This discussion focused on the recent Department of Foreign Affairs (DFAT) Office of Development Effectiveness (ODE) evaluation report, Building Women’s Leadership: the contribution of Australia Awards Scholarships. This was the second part of our April 2016 aid evaluations forum. Speakers: Dr Karen Ovington, Assistant Director, ODE, DFAT; Ms Cheryl Johnson, Assistant Secretary, Scholarships and Alumni Branch, DFAT; Dr Rose Amazan, Lecturer, Contextual Studies in Education, School of Education, University of New England.

This recording is the first part of our aid evaluations forum held in April 2016. It looks at The Performance of Australian Aid report, which is the government’s own annual report card on the aid program. Speakers: Mr Scott Dawson, First Assistant Secretary, Contracting and Aid Management Division, DFAT; Professor Stephen Howes, Director, Development Policy Centre, ANU

At our fourth annual aid budget breakfast the morning after the 2016-17 budget a panel of experts discussed what the 2016-17 budget means for the future of Australian aid. Speakers: Stephen Howes, Director, Development Policy Centre, Crawford School, ANU; Jacqui De Lacy General Manaager, Global Strategy, Abt JTA; and Anthony Swan, Research Fellow, Development Policy Centre.

Speakers: Terence Wood, Research Fellow, Development Policy Centre, and co-author of the 2015 aid stakeholder survey; Richard Moore, Former Deputy Director General, AusAID; Marc Purcell, CEO of the Australian Council for International Development; and Alison Baker, Principal, Development Assistance, GHD: Stephen Howes (chair). This session at the 2016 Australasian Aid Conference provided an opportunity for discussion of the results of the 2015 Australian Aid Stakeholder Survey, and more generally on Australian aid policy issues. All conference presentation slides available at: https://devpolicy.crawford.anu.edu.au/annual-australasian-aid-conference/2016/abstracts

Speaker: Terence Wood, Research Fellow, Development Policy Centre, ANU. In 2013 the Development Policy Centre conducted the first ever comprehensive survey of Australia’s aid stakeholders, canvasing their views of the Australian aid program. Since then Australian aid has changed dramatically: AusAID is no more, the focus of aid has shifted, and the aid budget has been cut dramatically. In 2015 the Centre re-ran the stakeholder survey, and the data from the two surveys provides a unique opportunity to examine the impacts of these changes. In his presentation Terence Wood revealed what the 2015 Australian aid stakeholder found. He looked at what has gotten better, and what has gotten worse, and offered suggestions for improving Australian aid. Find the survey results here: https://devpolicy.crawford.anu.edu.au/aid-stakeholder-survey/2015 Find all AAC2016 presentations here: https://devpolicy.crawford.anu.edu.au/annual-australasian-aid-conference/2016/abstracts

On Wednesday 9 December 2015, the Development Policy Centre hosted a forum to discuss and debate two recent aid evaluations by DFAT’s Office of Development Effectiveness (ODE). The event addressed the issue of development partnerships with a focus on two recent ODE evaluations of the Australian NGO Cooperation Program (ANCP) and Australia’s non-core funding to the Asian Development Bank and the World Bank. The multilateral banks and NGOs represent two of the Australian aid program’s more important delivery partners, and the evaluations contain a number of important findings and recommendations. This recording is of the second session of the forum, discussing the evaluation of the Australian NGO Cooperation Program (ANCP). This forum was the latest in a regular series built around ODE evaluations. It was presented by the Development Policy Centre at Crawford School of Public Policy, The Australian National University.

On Wednesday 9 December 2015, the Development Policy Centre hosted a forum to discuss and debate two recent aid evaluations by DFAT’s Office of Development Effectiveness (ODE). The event addressed the issue of development partnerships with a focus on two recent ODE evaluations of the Australian NGO Cooperation Program (ANCP) and Australia’s non-core funding to the Asian Development Bank and the World Bank. The multilateral banks and NGOs represent two of the Australian aid program’s more important delivery partners, and the evaluations contain a number of important findings and recommendations. This recording is of the first session of the forum, discussing the evaluation of Australia’s non-core funding to the Asian Development Bank and the World Bank. This forum was the latest in a regular series built around ODE evaluations. It was presented by the Development Policy Centre at Crawford School of Public Policy, The Australian National University.

The Reverend Dr Joel Edwards is the former International Director of Micah Challenge, a global Christian response to extreme poverty. He recently sat down with Camilla Burkot after a panel discussion at the Crawford School sponsored by the Campaign for Australian Aid, to talk about foreign aid in the UK context, politics, and the importance of getting narratives right. Transcript available here: http://devpolicy.org/pdf/Transcript_interview-with-Joel-Edwards-3Aug2015.pdf

As in past years, the Development Policy Centre hosted a forum to discuss and debate recent Australian aid evaluations. This year we focused on the new annual report on Australian aid Performance of Australian Aid 2013-14 and on two recent evaluations from the Office of Development Effectiveness (ODE) on Australia’s responses to humanitarian crises in the Horn of Africa and Syria. We heared from ODE and the Chair of the ODE’s Independent Evaluation Committee. Speakers included: Mr Jim Adams Chair of DFAT’s Independent Evaluation Committee and former World Bank Vice President. Mr Scott Dawson First Assistant Secretary, Contracting and Aid Management Division, DFAT. Mr Simon Ernst Office of Development Effectiveness, DFAT. Professor Stephen Howes Director of the Development Policy Centre and Professor of Economics, Crawford School of Public Policy, ANU. Mr Jamie Isbister Acting First Assistant Secretary of the Humanitarian Division, DFAT. Dr Karen Ovington Assistant Director for the Office of Development Effectiveness, DFAT. Mr Dereck Rooken-Smith Assistant Secretary for the Office of Development Effectiveness, DFAT. Ms Joanna Spratt PhD Candidate, Crawford School of Public Policy, ANU. This forum was presented by the Development Policy Centre at Crawford School of Public Policy, The Australian National University.

As in past years, the Development Policy Centre hosted a forum to discuss and debate recent Australian aid evaluations. This year we focused on the new annual report on Australian aid Performance of Australian Aid 2013-14 and on two recent evaluations from the Office of Development Effectiveness (ODE) on Australia’s responses to humanitarian crises in the Horn of Africa and Syria. We heared from ODE and the Chair of the ODE’s Independent Evaluation Committee. Speakers included: Mr Jim Adams Chair of DFAT’s Independent Evaluation Committee and former World Bank Vice President. Mr Scott Dawson First Assistant Secretary, Contracting and Aid Management Division, DFAT. Mr Simon Ernst Office of Development Effectiveness, DFAT. Professor Stephen Howes Director of the Development Policy Centre and Professor of Economics, Crawford School of Public Policy, ANU. Mr Jamie Isbister Acting First Assistant Secretary of the Humanitarian Division, DFAT. Dr Karen Ovington Assistant Director for the Office of Development Effectiveness, DFAT. Mr Dereck Rooken-Smith Assistant Secretary for the Office of Development Effectiveness, DFAT. Ms Joanna Spratt PhD Candidate, Crawford School of Public Policy, ANU.

In recent months, the Office of Development Effectiveness, the unit within DFAT that’s responsible for the evaluation of Australia’s aid program, has released three important reports. One is its evaluation of the Australian aid volunteer program. The other are two reports on aid program quality: its review of aid program performance reports, and its Lessons from Australian Aid report. As in past years, the Development Policy Centre hosted a forum to discuss and debate these reports. Presenters included the main authors of the reports and external discussants. Jim Adams, Chair of the Independent Evaluation Committee, was invited to close the forum. Part 1 includes an introduction from the head of ODE, Dereck Rooken-Smith and the panel discussion on the volunteers evaluation.

In recent months, the Office of Development Effectiveness, the unit within DFAT that’s responsible for the evaluation of Australia’s aid program, has released three important reports. One is its evaluation of the Australian aid volunteer program. The other are two reports on aid program quality: its review of aid program performance reports, and its Lessons from Australian Aid report. As in past years, the Development Policy Centre hosted a forum to discuss and debate these reports. Presenters included the main authors of the reports and external discussants. Jim Adams, Chair of the Independent Evaluation Committee, was invited to close the forum. Part 2 includes the panel discussion on aid quality and the wrap-up from Jim Adams, Chair of the Independent Evaluation Committee, DFAT.

The 2013 Pacific and PNG Update provides a forum for the discussion of the latest economic, social and political developments in the region. The Update was hosted by the Development Policy Centre, and supported by: the Asian Development Bank’s Pacific Economic Management Technical Assistance Project; and the Asia and Pacific Policy Studies, the flagship publication of the Crawford School of Public Policy, ANU in partnership with Australian Aid, AusAID. Panel 1b on small island states consisted of - Tebao Awerica from the Office of Te Beretitenti on 'The economy in Kiribati' - Siosi C. Mafi (Joyce), Governor of the Reserve Bank of Tonga, on 'The economy in Tonga' - Seve Paeniu, an Independent Consultant, on 'Common challenges in micro states: Nauru and Tuvalu' - Noumea Simi, Assistant CEO of the Samoa Ministry of Finance, on 'The economy in Samoa' Presentation slides are available from the Devpolicy events page: https://devpolicy.crawford.anu.edu.au/event-extra/past

The 2013 Pacific and PNG Update provides a forum for the discussion of the latest economic, social and political developments in the region. The Update was hosted by the Development Policy Centre, and supported by: the Asian Development Bank’s Pacific Economic Management Technical Assistance Project; and the Asia and Pacific Policy Studies, the flagship publication of the Crawford School of Public Policy, ANU in partnership with Australian Aid, AusAID. The panel consisted of: - Seini O'Connor, Pacific Plan Adviser at the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat, presenting on 'The Pacific Plan and the future of Pacific Regionalism' - Bob Warner, Director of Pacific Research Partnerships at the Crawford School of Public Policy, ANU, presenting on 'Lessons in regional integration from the Caribbean' - Matthew Dornan, Research Fellow at the Development Policy Centre, presenting on 'Pooled service delivery in the Pacific' Presentation slides are available from the Devpolicy events page: https://devpolicy.crawford.anu.edu.au/event-extra/past

The 2013 Pacific and PNG Update provides a forum for the discussion of the latest economic, social and political developments in the region. The Update was hosted by the Development Policy Centre, and supported by: the Asian Development Bank’s Pacific Economic Management Technical Assistance Project; and the Asia and Pacific Policy Studies, the flagship publication of the Crawford School of Public Policy, ANU in partnership with Australian Aid, AusAID. The panel consisted of: - Seini O'Connor, Pacific Plan Adviser at the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat, presenting on 'The Pacific Plan and the future of Pacific Regionalism' - Bob Warner, Director of Pacific Research Partnerships at the Crawford School of Public Policy, ANU, presenting on 'Lessons in regional integration from the Caribbean' - Matthew Dornan, Research Fellow at the Development Policy Centre, presenting on 'Pooled service delivery in the Pacific' Presentation slides are available from the Devpolicy events page: https://devpolicy.crawford.anu.edu.au/event-extra/past

The 2013 Pacific and PNG Update provides a forum for the discussion of the latest economic, social and political developments in the region. The Update was hosted by the Development Policy Centre, and supported by: the Asian Development Bank’s Pacific Economic Management Technical Assistance Project; and the Asia and Pacific Policy Studies, the flagship publication of the Crawford School of Public Policy, ANU in partnership with Australian Aid, AusAID. The 'Pacific gender update panel' consisted of: - Peter Forau, from the Melanesian Spearhead Group, presenting on 'Women's disempowerment in Melanesia' - Susan Ferguson, acting Principal Sector Specialist for Gender Equality at AusAID, presenting on 'Australia's Pacific gender initiative' - Andrea Iffland, Regional Director of the Pacific Liaison and Coordination Office of the ADB, presenting on 'Economic empowerment of woman - experiences of the Private Sector Development Initiative (PSDI)' - Amanda Jupp, Project Manager at Coffey International Development, 'Women’s economic empowerment: Pacific lessons from the Enterprise Challenge Fund' Presentation slides are available from the Devpolicy events page: https://devpolicy.crawford.anu.edu.au/event-extra/past

The 2013 Pacific and PNG Update provided a forum for the discussion of the latest economic, social and political developments in the region. The Update was hosted by the Development Policy Centre, and supported by: the Asian Development Bank’s Pacific Economic Management Technical Assistance Project; and the Asia and Pacific Policy Studies, the flagship publication of the Crawford School of Public Policy, ANU in partnership with Australian Aid, AusAID. The keynote address for the PNG update was delivered by UPNG Vice-Chancellor Albert Mellam on 'Reforms in the Higher Education Sector in PNG'. The keynote was introduced by ANU Deputy-Vice Chancellor Marnie Hughes-Warrington. Presentation slides are available from the Devpolicy events page: https://devpolicy.crawford.anu.edu.au/event-extra/past

The 2013 Pacific and PNG Update provides a forum for the discussion of the latest economic, social and political developments in the region. The Update was hosted by the Development Policy Centre, and supported by: the Asian Development Bank’s Pacific Economic Management Technical Assistance Project; and the Asia and Pacific Policy Studies, the flagship publication of the Crawford School of Public Policy, ANU in partnership with Australian Aid, AusAID. The session was opened by Professor Tom Kompas, Director of the Crawford School. Christopher Edmonds, Senior Economist in the Pacific Department of the ADB, provided a regional overview and launched the latest Pacific Economic Monitor. Panel 1a on Melanesia and Timor-Leste consisted of: - Satish Chand, from UNSW, presenting on Growth and inequality in Melanesia - Anthony Hughes, an independent consultant from the Solomon Islands, presenting on The economy in Solomon Islands - Biman Prasad, from USP, presenting on The economy in Fiji - Helder Lopes, Regional Economic Policy Advisor in the Ministry of Finance of Timor-Leste, presenting on The economy in Timor-Leste - Odo Tevi, an independent consultant from Vanuatu, presenting on The economy in Vanuatu Presentation slides are available from the Devpolicy events page: https://devpolicy.crawford.anu.edu.au/event-extra/past

The 2013 Pacific and PNG Update provided a forum for the discussion of the latest economic, social and political developments in the region. The Update was hosted by the Development Policy Centre, and supported by: the Asian Development Bank’s Pacific Economic Management Technical Assistance Project; and the Asia and Pacific Policy Studies, the flagship publication of the Crawford School of Public Policy, ANU in partnership with Australian Aid, AusAID. The 'PNG economic and political update' panel consisted of: - Tim Bulma, Country Economist for PNG at the World Bank, delivering the 'Economic update' - Deni ToKunai, Political commentator and blogger at the Garamut blog, delivering the 'Political update' Presentation slides are available from the Devpolicy events page: https://devpolicy.crawford.anu.edu.au/event-extra/past

In July and August 2013 the Development Policy Centre surveyed 356 stakeholders in the Australian aid program, from the senior executives of Australia’s biggest NGOs and development contracting companies, to the officials of multilateral, partner government and Australian government agencies. The survey asked them what they thought about the Australian aid program, what they liked, what they didn’t like, what they thought the future of aid was and what needed to be done to improve our aid. And now the verdict is in. This even launched the results of the 2013 Australian aid stakeholder survey. It’s a unique exercise, with a distinctive set of results. More than a baseline for future improvements, it’s a stocktake on where Australian aid has got to, and a critical input into where it needs to go. The event will tackle questions such as: - Is our aid getting better or worse? - How do we compare to other donors? - What is our biggest strength, and what’s the biggest weakness? - How important is the national interest in aid decisions, and how important should it be? The 2013 survey launch revealed how Australian aid stakeholders answer these questions, and many others, and discussed the implications of the finding. Stephen Howes, Director of the Development Policy Centre will present the survey results. Marc Purcell, Executive Director of the Australian Council for International Development (ACFID), and Mel Dunn, Chair of International Development Contractors (IDC) Australia will discuss the results. Stephanie Copus-Campbell, CEO of the Harold Mitchell Foundation will chair proceedings.

The 2013 Pacific and PNG Update provides a forum for the discussion of the latest economic, social and political developments in the region. The Update was hosted by the Development Policy Centre, and supported by: the Asian Development Bank’s Pacific Economic Management Technical Assistance Project; and the Asia and Pacific Policy Studies, the flagship publication of the Crawford School of Public Policy, ANU in partnership with Australian Aid, AusAID. The 'public management and private sector development' consisted of: - Matthew Dornan, Research Fellow at the Development Policy Centre, presenting on 'Infrastructure maintenance' - Tobias Haque, World Bank Economist, presenting on 'Public financial management' Presentation slides are available from the Devpolicy events page: https://devpolicy.crawford.anu.edu.au/event-extra/past

Australia’s aid program has increased massively over the last decade, but its future is unclear, and aid policy has become controversial. The Labor Government has repeatedly delayed its target to lift aid 0.5 per cent of Gross National Income (GNI), and just this month slashed $900 million from the forward estimates for aid. The Coalition has not put any date to achievement of 0.5. There are also major aid policy and effectiveness issues at play, including aid for asylum seekers, aid to PNG, and aid to Africa. Labor has introduced a number of aid reforms, but the Coalition has called for “an increased focus on accountability, transparency and a reassessment of priorities within the aid program” (Julie Bishop at ANU, June 2012). The Greens support a lot more aid, and want an independent evaluator for the sector. In this special 2013 Election forum, the ACT candidates discussed their parties’ approaches to aid. Speakers at the event were: - Dr Helen Szoke, Chief Executive Officer, Oxfam Australia; - Professor Stephen Howes, Director, Development Policy Centre, Crawford School of Public Policy, ANU; - The Hon Dr Andrew Leigh, Member for Fraser, ALP; - Elizabeth Lee, Liberal candidate for Fraser; - Julie Melrose, Greens candidate for Canberra. Presentation slides are available from the Devpolicy events page: https://devpolicy.crawford.anu.edu.au/event-extra/past This event was sponsored by the Development Policy Centre and Oxfam ACT, with the support of Oaktree and Make Poverty History.

The 2013 Pacific and PNG Update provided a forum for the discussion of the latest economic, social and political developments in the region. The Update was hosted by the Development Policy Centre, and supported by: the Asian Development Bank’s Pacific Economic Management Technical Assistance Project; and the Asia and Pacific Policy Studies, the flagship publication of the Crawford School of Public Policy, ANU in partnership with Australian Aid, AusAID. The 'Gender-based violence' panel consisted of: - Jo Chandler, Journalist and Honorary Fellow at the Alfred Deakin Research Institute, presenting on 'Violence and the media' - Kamalini Lokuge, from the ANU's National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health, presenting on 'Integrated support for survivors - what is needed?' - Cathy Rimbao, a sergeant in the PNG Lae Police Force, presenting on 'A policing perspective' Closing remarks for the conference were delivered by Devpolicy Director Stephen Howes. Presentation slides are available from the Devpolicy events page: https://devpolicy.crawford.anu.edu.au/event-extra/past

The 2013 Pacific and PNG Update provided a forum for the discussion of the latest economic, social and political developments in the region. The Update was hosted by the Development Policy Centre, and supported by: the Asian Development Bank’s Pacific Economic Management Technical Assistance Project; and the Asia and Pacific Policy Studies, the flagship publication of the Crawford School of Public Policy, ANU in partnership with Australian Aid, AusAID. The 'Economic policy challenges' panel consisted of: - Aaron Batten, PNG Country Economist at the ADB, presenting on 'PNG's evolving trade and investment flows' - Margaret Callan, Visiting Fellow at the Development Policy Centre, presenting on 'The contribution of mining companies to PNG Development' - Billy Manoka, Commissioner and CEO of the PNG Independent Consumer and Competition Commission, presenting on 'Regulation of infrastructure SOEs' Presentation slides are available from the Devpolicy events page: https://devpolicy.crawford.anu.edu.au/event-extra/past

The 2013 Pacific and PNG Update provided a forum for the discussion of the latest economic, social and political developments in the region. The Update was hosted by the Development Policy Centre, and supported by: the Asian Development Bank’s Pacific Economic Management Technical Assistance Project; and the Asia and Pacific Policy Studies, the flagship publication of the Crawford School of Public Policy, ANU in partnership with Australian Aid, AusAID. The 'Issues in public service delivery' panel consisted of: - Stephen Howes, Director of the Development Policy Centre, presenting on 'PNG budgetary trends and issues' - Colin Wiltshire and Andrew Anton Mako, from the Development Policy Centre and National Research Institute respectively, presenting on 'Public expenditure tracking' - Thomas Wangi, Lecturer of Economics at UPNG, presenting on 'Solid waste management in PNG' Presentation slides are available from the Devpolicy events page: https://devpolicy.crawford.anu.edu.au/event-extra/past

Framing international aid and assistance: Global approaches New Ideas or Recasting Old Agendas? Australian Aid and Education Policy in Papua New Guinea