Provoking Change for Impact – Our Keynote Speakers

On day one of ACFID’s conference four keynote speakers addressed delegates, giving provocative speeches which set the context for debate at the conference.
Richard Moore – Former AusAid Deputy Director General
Richard Moore advocated for development to be at the heart of Australian diplomacy and called for the Government to create a comprehensive development policy. He argued that the sector was losing volume debates, was silent on issues of approach and effectiveness and there was an allergy to discussing national interest. Download full speech here.
Shalmali Guttal – Executive Director of Focus on the Global South
Shalmali Guttal highlighted the ways in which NGOs have often adapted to, instead of challenged the structures of global inequality and poverty. She critiqued the INGO business model and mainstream modalities of partnership and challenged the audience to confront their own power.
Dame Meg Taylor – Secretary General of the Pacific Islands Forum
In setting out a new era for Pacific Regionalism, Dame Meg Taylor, said it must be adaptive, innovative and inclusive. She said the framework for Pacific regionalism presented some challenges for Australian foreign policy, posing the question ‘How will its foreign policy engage with an inclusive regional public policy approach?’
Kerry Graham – Director of Collaboration for Impact
In our final keynote speech, Kerry Graham said leadership needed to be redefined from “crown wearers” to “collaborators”. Kerry said the sector needed to unleash network leaders and shape how we run our organisations based on the impetus for collaboration and to direct the skills of network leaders towards our issues.