SECTOR NEWS – ACFID responded to the opposition’s aid costings, reiterated the call for a review of Australia’s aid program, and CEO Marc Purcell spoke at a United Nations Association of Australia event.

SECTOR NEWS – This week, Labor released their election policy costings, detailing an extra $1.6 billion for the sector over the next four years.

SECTOR NEWS – This week, Shadow Foreign Affairs Minister, Penny Wong, delivered a speech to the Lowy Institute on foreign policy under a Shorten Labor Government.

SECTOR NEWS – This week ACFID welcomed a bipartisan parliamentary report by the Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs recommended increasing Australia’s aid funding to at least 0.5 per cent of gross national income in 5 years, and reaching 0.7 per cent by 2030.

The Federal Budget 2019-20 was handed down this week. ACFID responded in the media and provided an overnight analysis of budget.

ACFID this week expressed its disappointment in the Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Legislation Committee’s decision to pass the Export Finance and Insurance Corporation Amendment (Support for Infrastructure Financing) Bill 2019 [Provisions] without amendment.

ACFID this week met a members of the Yazidi community of Australia as part of their campaign for safe release of Yazidis from ISIS as part of the ongoing battle for Baghouz.

Following a wide-ranging speech by Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs, Penny Wong this week, ACFID CEO, Marc Purcell, praised the design of an international development program as part of Labor’s vision for Australian foreign policy. Purcell said: “If elected, Labor’s vision would trigger a wide-ranging recalibration of Australia’s international development program.

ACFID is proud to announce the details of its 2019 National Conference! Please save the dates of 23 – 24 October 2019 and join us as we examine the dynamics at play in “Championing Sustainable Development” and the prospects and opportunities for continued adaptation, resilience and relevance in the decades ahead.

This week ACFID reports on the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade’s confirmation that the $2bn Pacific island infrastructure bank would be made up of $500m in grants and $1.5bn to be funded from the federal budget. Marc Purcell, ACFID CEO, told the Guardian that Australia was being foolhardy by “cannabilising the aid budget” and putting at risk relations with key Asian countries.