The Weekly
CEO Top of Mind
Marc Purcell, what is at the top of your mind this week?
On the 9 of August, DFAT released its eagerly-awaited new development policy, “Australia’s International Development Policy: For a peaceful, stable and prosperous Indo-Pacific.” There are three components to this policy:
At the launch event for Australia’s New Development Policy, Minister Conroy gave the following speech – available here
ACFID warmly welcomes the release of the new development policy. In particular, the policy is noteworthy for its repeated focus on climate as a major driver of instability and a challenge for our times. The development sector welcomes the new policy’s explicit references to poverty alleviation, as it believes human development must remain the overarching priority of Australia’s development program. The policy is also noteworthy for being the first time a development policy has recognised the need to incorporate First Nations input, leadership and traditions. The challenge will now be in its implementation, which the NGO community hopes to help translate into action.
See our media release here and media commentary ABC Radio’s Pacific Beat and The World Today on ABC Radio National, alongside CARE CEO, Peter Walton.
You can also see our blog commentary analysis here:
International development: Putting the heart back in Australian foreign policy. Read here.
Is This the Australian Government’s Marshall Plan? Read here.
See our detailed analysis of the Government’s Development Policy Analysis here.
“Reimagining Development: Conversations on the New Development Policy” – Podcast Final Episode
‘Reimagining Development: Conversations on the New Development Policy’ is a podcast series hosted by Good Will Hunters founder Rachel Mason Nunn and ACFID’s Chief Policy Officer Jessica Mackenzie. Featuring a range of speakers from across the international development landscape, the final episode of the series will be released Monday. The podcast can be accessed here.
ACFID National Conference Registration goes live!
We are excited to announce that early birds 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. Whilst nothing beats the energy of being in the same space together, this year we are welcoming virtual attendees also as we deliver our first hybrid conference. Given the success of previous years where our members in-country partners have also participated – we have heavily reduced tickets again in order for you to help them engage either virtually or face to face! Take a look at our conference video below and jump across to our platform and secure your tickets now!
To Read
Nominations for ACFID 2023 Awards
Do you know someone who is worthy of recognition for contribution to the Australian Aid and Development Sector? Do you want their accomplishments to be celebrated at our 2023 National Conference? ACFID is now seeking nominations for our three ACFID 2023 Awards: the ACFID Sir Ronald Wilson Human Rights Award, the ACFID Outstanding Contribution to the Sector Award, and the ACFID Media Award.
A highlight of the 2023 ACFID Conference Dinner will be the presentation of our three major annual ACFID Awards as nominated by our Members and Australia’s media sector. These awards provide an important opportunity to recognise the achievements of those who have made a significant impact and difference.
Nominations are now open.
Details on the individual awards, nomination forms and selection process are detailed on the ACFID website here. Nominations for each category close on Friday, 15 September 2023 and the award recipients will be invited to virtually accept their award at ACFID’s 2023 National Conference dinner, held at The Roundhouse UNSW, October 18 2023.
To Read
Australia’s New Development Policy
On the 9 of August, DFAT released its eagerly-awaited new development policy, “Australia’s International Development Policy: For a peaceful, stable and prosperous Indo-Pacific.” There are three components to this policy:
- The International Development Policy Available here
- Performance And Delivery Framework Available here
- Development Finance Review Available here
Minister’s Speeches
At the launch event for Australia’s New Development Policy, Minister Conroy gave the following speech – available here.
ACFID CEO, Marc Purcell – on the Development Policy
International development: Putting the heart back in Australian foreign policy. Read here.
Is This the Australian Government’s Marshall Plan? Read here.
Marc was additionally interviewed for ABC Radio’s Pacific Beat and The World Today on ABC Radio National, alongside CARE CEO, Peter Walton.
“Reimagining Development: Conversations on the New Development Policy” – Podcast Final Episode
‘Reimagining Development: Conversations on the New Development Policy’ is a podcast series hosted by Good Will Hunters founder Rachel Mason Nunn and ACFID’s Chief Policy Officer Jessica Mackenzie. Featuring a range of speakers from across the international development landscape, the final episode of the series will be released Monday. The podcast can be accessed here.
Media Release:
ACFID additionally issued a media release surrounding the new development policy launch, this is able to be accessed here.
To Read
Safer World for All Campaign
This week, a successful Safer World for All campaign was undertaken at Parliament House. More information on Safer World for All can be accessed here.
To Read
Locally-led Report by DevEx
This report suggests just 42% of INGOs have currently implemented deliberate changes in their approach to adopt locally-led action, although 81% aspire to do so. Read the full report here.
To Read
Annual Garma Festival
This week the Annual Garma Festival has grown to become Australia’s most significant Indigenous cultural gathering and a premier national platform for discussion of issues affecting First Nations Australians. Further information regarding the festival, can be accessed here.
To Action
Public consultation: Pandemic instrument and changes to the International Health Regulations
The Australian Government is currently engaged in two concurrent negotiation processes through the World Health Organization to strengthen the international legal framework to prepare for and respond to future pandemics and other international health emergencies. The two negotiation processes, which will build on lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic, are:
- a new international legal instrument on pandemic prevention, preparedness and response (pandemic instrument), and
- changes to the International Health Regulations (IHR) (2005).
To inform Australia’s engagement in both negotiation processes, the government is interested in understanding what Australian stakeholders and the community want to see through these reforms and would like to invite you to lodge a written submission. In particular, the government is seeking your views on:
- how international cooperation can be improved to more effectively prevent, prepare for, and respond to, future pandemics and other international health emergencies; and
- issues you think need to be prioritised to guide the world’s future preparation for and responses to future pandemics and other international health emergencies.
You are also invited to provide any other information that might help to guide Australia’s engagement on a new international pandemic instrument and changes to the IHR.
This public consultation is open for written submissions for a six-week period from 7 August to 17 September 2023.
To lodge a written submission, please go to the consultation portal on the Department of Health and Aged Care website at Preparing for, and responding to, future pandemics and other international health emergencies – Australian Government Department of Health – Citizen Space. You can also read the consultation paper that’s accessible via this link, prior to lodging a submission. Additional information about the two processes is available on the Department of Health and Aged Care website.
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
| Date | Time (AEST) | Event |
| 15 August | 11am – 12:30pm | Development sector workshop: DFAT’s upcoming Disability Equity and Rights strategy |
| 16 August | 6:30pm – 7:45pm | Global challenges around conflict and climate-driven mobility |
| 17 August | 3:30pm to 4:30pm | Australian Aid for a Safer World for All |
| 24 August | 2pm – 3pm | Racial Justice Framework & Toolkit |
| 30 August | 9:30am – 11:30am | Understanding Race & Racism Workshop |
| 20 – 21 September | CID Annual Conference 2023 | |
| 18-19 October | ACFID National Conference 2023 (Sydney) | |
| 16 November | 2pm – 4pm | Understanding Race & Racism Workshop |
Food for Thought
The overarching message of Australia’s new development policy is its importance as a tool of statecraft, says Melissa Conley Tyler, with the security, economics, international relations and morality cases for aid all compelling. “Contributing to our neighbours’ development is not a form of charity Australians should put up with by virtue of being a developed country. Rather, it’s an investment in our own future and something we should actively value.”
Australia’s new development aid policy provides clear vision and strategic sense