The Weekly
CEO Top of Mind
Marc Purcell, what is at the top of your mind this week?
Its been great to be with ACFID Board members Thenu Herath, Kate Lee, Lyn Morgain, and Micah’s Tim Costello, and Caritas CEO Kirsty Robertson at Labor’s national conference, raising the importance of Australia’s aid program in making a safer world and helping attain the SDGs.
Delegates to the ALP Conference have today passed a motion that calls on the Albanese Government to commit to a plan and pathway to achieve a target of 0.5 percent when it comes to the foreign aid budget (ODA) as a percentage of Australian Gross National Income (GNI).
The motion builds on the existing party platform commitment that Labor will rebuild the aid program.
“Labor will increase aid as a percentage of Gross National income every year that we are in office starting with our first budget,” it says.
The Australian Council For International Development (ACFID), the peak body for the aid sector, welcomes the ALP’s recommitment to the aid budget, particularly in its alignment with meeting the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
ACFID now calls on the Government to formulate its plan, setting out increases over the forward estimates as a step towards reaching 0.5 percent.
In particular, we call on the Government to rebuild ODA to the OECD average of 0.36 percent by the end of a second term in power.
To Action
ACFID Conferece 2023 – Ticket on Sale
We are excited to announce that early bird tickets to ACFID’s National Conference 2023 are now on sale! After three years in the virtual environment, we are looking forward to seeing our members and the wider international development community together again in Sydney over 18 – 19 October 2023. Read more and grab your tickets here.
To Action
ACFID Annual Perceptions Survey 2022-23 – SURVEY EXTENDED TO FRIDAY 25 AUGUST 2023
Our annual perceptions survey deadline has been extended by one week to Friday 25 August.
The survey covers the quality of our service as Australia’s peak body for Australian international development and humanitarian organisations during the 2022-23 financial year. The survey is voluntary, however, we strongly encourage you to participate, so we can obtain the most accurate and relevant understanding of our stakeholders and your needs as possible. Please complete the survey by no later than Friday 25 August 2023 and contact [email protected] if you have any problems accessing the survey. All survey questions can be read with a screen-reader. You can access the survey here.
To Note
Pacific Climate Infrastructure and Financing Partnership (PCIFP)
DFAT will next week (22 August) launch its call for proposals for their new program that will be supporting clean, affordable and sustainable access to off-grid renewable energy in remote communities in the Pacific. DFAT provided a briefing for ACFID members via the Climate Policy & Practice Community this week which can be found on the MYACFID Climate CoP page. We will share more details on the launch of this call for proposals when we have them.
To Note
Climate Loss and Damage Discussions
The ACFID Climate Practice and Policy Community met with the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water on Wednesday 16 August to discuss the global Loss and Damage fund being designed by the UNFCCC Transitional Committee. Key issues discussed in the meeting included the importance of the fund being accessible to Pacific small island states, to civil society and local actors, and that it account for non-economic loss and damage. If you would like to be involved in ACFID’s climate work please join the Climate Practice and Policy Community here.
To Note
Development Policy Launch
DFAT, ACFID, IDCC and ANU are working towards a Development Policy Launch Event for the 12th of September to be held in Canberra. There will be an opening address by Minister Conroy, with a series of panels throughout the day – invitations will be issued by DFAT. If you are interested or have any questions, please reach out to [email protected]
To Note
Strategic Review of Australia’s humanitarian assistance and development cooperation to the Palestinian Territories
The Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) has commissioned Alinea International to conduct a strategic review of Australia’s humanitarian assistance and development cooperation to the Palestinian Territories. This strategic review is intended to provide both an important accountability mechanism to DFAT, as well as evidence that will support the further development of DFAT’s humanitarian and development approach to the Palestinian Territories. A virtual roundtable discussion will be held on 22nd August at 4pm, if your organisation is currently programming in the Palestinian Territories and you would like to be involved, please reach out to Moti Goode at [email protected].
To Note
Disability Equity and Rights Strategy Workshop
Thank you to all who joined us on Wednesday for our joint workshop co-hosted with CBM Australia and the Australian Disability Development Consortium on DFAT’s upcoming Disability, Equity and Rights Survey. With over 130 attendees from across the sector, the workshop was a resounding success with many insights shared on how Australia’s development program can be more ambitious and drive greater equitable outcomes. The insights shared will help to inform our approach to the government’s Disability Equity and Rights Strategy over the coming months. Registrants for the workshop and waitlist will receive a recording of the survey in coming days. Any queries please email: [email protected].
To Attend
Panel on Supporting Refugee Students in Tertiary Education
This free panel will be held on 5 September 2:00-3:30 pm AEST and will consider gaps of inclusion in universities and blocks and pathways to tertiary education for current and prospective students with a refugee background. This event also features musician Sayeed Zaman Ibrahim, who will play the Hazaragi Dambora. Know more about the event here.
To Attend
ACFID AGM Notification
ACFID’s sixty-day notice of the Annual General Meeting went out to CEOs today, advising the 2023 AGM will take place on Wednesday 18 October (4:20pm – 6:00pm). All ACFID members are encouraged to attend the AGM, however a member must be financial to vote. There is no cost to attend the AGM, organisations can register as part of the Conference, for the AGM alone here.
The CEO email contained notification of Resolutions regarding the Amended Code of Conduct, and calls for nominations for Board members and Code of Conduct Committee members. If your CEO did not receive this notice, please contact [email protected] or 02 8123 2213.
To Attend
CEO and Board Chair briefing – revised ACFID Code
This event is for ACFID member CEOs and Board Chairs. ACFID will provide a briefing on the revised Code of Conduct and answer any questions that ACFID members may have in the lead up to ACFID’s AGM on 18 October. Additional information and materials regarding the revised Code have been emailed to members as part of the notification of ACFID’s upcoming AGM.
When: Monday 11 September
Time: 2pm – 3pm
Where: Online
To Read
Media Release
Tuesday 15 August was the two-year anniversary of the fall of Kabul. ACFID produced a media release highlighting the ongoing poverty and need in Afghanistan and highlighting the need for the Australian Government to step up its response.
Previously in The Weekly:
- Proposed changes to the ACFID Code – Read more on the Code Review webpage.
- ACFID anticipates the release of the Government’s new Development Policy, led by DFAT in the coming weeks. Read our submissions below.
Upcoming Events
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Date |
Time (AEST) |
Event |
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24 August |
2pm – 3pm |
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30 August |
9:30am – 11:30am |
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5 September |
2:00 – 3:30 pm |
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11 September |
2pm – 3pm |
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20 – 21 September |
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18-19 October |
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16 November |
2pm – 4pm |
Food for Thought
This month, USAID launched it’s very first Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, and Intersex (LGBTQI+) Inclusive Development Policy. The policy its hallmarked by its aims for LGBTQI+ persons to be able to participate in civic and democratic processes; have equal access to sustainable livelihoods, economic assets, and resources; have full access to education, health, mental health, and other essential services; and are supported in times of emergency.
With Australia’s New Development Policy additionally announcing the creation of an incoming LGBTQIA+ policy, it would be interesting to see how this would mirror the US model or whether it would take a different form entirely.
You can see the policy here: 2023 LGBTQI+ Inclusive Development Policy | Document | U.S. Agency for International Development (usaid.gov)