The Weekly
CEO Top of Mind
Marc Purcell, what is at the top of your mind this week?
We are eagerly awaiting the release of the Government’s new Development Policy which aims to shape the why, where and how of Australia’s $4.7 Billion ODA spend for the coming years. ACFID successfully advocated directly to Labor when in opposition for the need for a policy, proposed an Expert Advisory Group be established which had an ACFID nominee, Helen Szoke, former head of Oxfam and ACFID Vice President. We ran member briefs on the proposed policy and provided a tool kit to assist in making a submission and we are pleased that over 50 submissions to the Review came from NGOs belonging to ACFID. Our submissions can be found here, as well as our humanitarian submission and the submission from Pacific regional NGOs, our sister Peak PIANGO can be viewed here.
We look forward to the Government’s imminent announcement.
To Note
NGO Representatives to the Committee for Development Cooperation (CDC)
ACFID is pleased to announce that the ACFID Board has appointed Peter Keegan (UnitingWorld) and John Morley (Plan International Australia) as NGO representatives to the CDC. It was a very strong field of candidates – thank you to everyone who nominated.
ACFID also thanks outgoing CDC member Ellen Shipley for her long-standing commitment to the CDC. Ellen brought a wealth of experience and knowledge, drawing on her time at AusAID working in aid policy and provided valuable insights into the practical implementation of ANCP and DFAT Accreditation for NGOs. She was always a strong advocate for our sector and quick to highlight the strengths and contribution of NGOs. Thanks Ellen!
To Note
OECD DAC Civil Society Days
This week ACFID participated in the OECD DAC Civil Society Days (CSDs) held virtually and in Paris. The CSDs are a biennial forum to explore the challenges facing civil society and build bridges across stakeholders. The programme included a roundtable event to check in on progress made to enable civil society as key actors in locally led transformation in partner countries as well as a series of technical workshops organized on various topics.
Our partners PIANGO also participated in the days in person, with Mr Drew Havea speaking in one of the technical workshops on civil society engagement in climate action.
To Attend
ACFID Connect: Procurement Step-by-Step with DFAT
Please join us on Wednesday 28 June, 3:30-5pm, for an in-depth step-by-step session on DFAT Procurement led by the Development Procurement, Agreements and Systems Branch. The session will work through key documents from a recent DFAT Procurement covering the entirety of the process, with a specific focus on the evaluation criteria applied to Request for Expression of Interest, Request for Tender and response forms. This is an opportunity to step through the criteria applied at each stage of the procurement process, ask questions and clarify requirements. The session will be chaired by ACFID’s Policy and Advocacy Lead, Brigid O’Farrell.
Preparing your ACFID Code reporting
The ACFID Code team is holding a webinar for anyone involved in preparing their organisation’s Code Self-Assessment or Exceptions Report.
This webinar will cover:
– Tips and advice on completing the Code Self-Assessment
– How to submit your Code Self-Assessment or Exceptions Report through ACFID’s online portal
– FAQs and the opportunity to ask questions
When: Tuesday 11 July
Time: 12 pm – 1 pm
Where: Online
To Note
Lowy Institute Poll 2023
Australians remain overwhelmingly in favour of using aid to fund a range of objectives in Pacific Island countries. Almost all (92%) support providing aid for disaster relief, unchanged from 2022.
The vast majority of Australians favour providing aid ‘to help prevent China from increasing its influence in the Pacific’ (84%) as well as providing aid to the Pacific for ‘long-term economic development’ (83%), both steady on last year. Similarly, eight in ten (80%) support providing Covid-19 vaccines to Pacific Island countries, although this fell six points from last year. Support for climate-related aid to the Pacific. View here
This year, Australians were asked whether they think the government should increase, decrease, or keep spending the same for a range of budget priorities. As in previous years, most Australians support an increase in spending on health (85%) and education (73%). Across all other areas, the 2023 survey shows a drop, to varying degrees, in the number of Australians who believe spending should be increased.
The largest shift in opinion relates to defence spending. In 2022, 51% of Australians supported an increase in defence spending, a 20-point rise on the last time the question about budget priorities was asked in 2019. This year, however, support for increasing defence spending has fallen ten points to 41%. An almost equal number of Australians (39%) think defence spending should remain about the same, while 20% think it should be decreased. View here
To Note
Media Release
ACFID welcomes the Australian Government’s contribution of an additional $4.45 million towards global efforts to alleviate suffering in conflict-riddled Sudan and nearby countries. This brings Australia’s contribution to $10.45m. Read the media release here
To Attend
CID Annual Conference 2023
This year the Council for International Development annual conference will bring together international NGOs, multilateral organisations, government departments, businesses, social enterprises, independent consultants, academics, and media, from across Aotearoa New Zealand, the Asia-Pacific region, and globally.
When: 20-21 September 2023
Where: In person held at the Parliament Banquet Hall and Pipitea Marae, Wellington
Who: Everyone is welcome!
The Early Bird Sale is open now. Click here to know more and register.
To Read
New report Australian Charities
New report Australian Charities
The latest official data shows Australia’s charity sector generated $190 billion in revenue and employed 10.5% of the workforce, highlighting its significance to the Australian economy and community.
The Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission (ACNC) released the 9th edition of the Australian Charities Report. Commissioner Sue Woodward AM said it shows charity revenue, assets and donations grew in the 2021 reporting period.
To Read
Situation of women and girls in Afghanistan
A joint report was presented to the 53rd session of the United Nations Human Rights Council by the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Afghanistan and the Working Group on discrimination against women and girls. Key finding is that the Taliban may be responsible for gender apartheid.
To Attend
Save the Date: Policy & Advocacy Team Member Visits
Members of ACFID’s Policy & Advocacy Team will be meeting with members from in Melbourne from 3-5 July and in Sydney from 5- 7 July to discuss policy & advocacy strategies emerging from the upcoming New Development Policy.
Member Workshops will be held on the afternoons (1:30pm-4.30pm) of 4 July in Melbourne at the Queen Victoria Women’s Centre, and the 6 July in Sydney at the Wesley Mission Conference Centre (please arrive ten minutes before to ensure a prompt start). Followed by drinks. Please come and attend the drinks even if you cannot make the workshop, to say hi (4:30pm onwards)
On the 3rd of July & 6th of July we will be arranging a series of 1-1 catchups with colleagues from our member organisations.
Please register via the form here to indicate interest for both the workshop and if you would like to arrange 1-1 catchups with the Policy & Advocacy team.
We look forward to catching up and will be providing more information shortly.
To Attend
New Colombo Plan Momentum Event: Ideas to Impact: Creating a sustainable cross sector approach to international development in the Indo-Pacific
The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) and its co-organiser Cross Sector Development Partnership Initiative (XSPI) is proud to host the New Colombo Plan (NCP) ‘Momentum’ event in partnership with private sector, academia, philanthropic, government and NGO partners.
On the panel is ACFID’s very own Jessica Mackenzie, Chief of Policy & Advocacy.
When: Tuesday 27 June 2023
Time: 3:45pm – 7:30pm
Where: Eureka Room, QT Hotel, 1 London Circuit, Canberra ACT 2601
Previously in The Weekly:
- ACFID supports decision to take Australian government to court over stranded children in Syria – Read the statement here.
- 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 |
| 27 June | 3:45pm – 7:30pm | New Colombo Plan Momentum Event |
| 28 June | 3:30pm – 5pm | ACFID Connect: Procurement Step-by-Step with DFAT |
| 29 June | 11am – 1pm | Understanding Race & Racism Workshop |
| 3 – 7 July | Policy & Advocacy Team Melbourne & Sydney Member Visits | |
| 11 July | 12pm – 1pm | Preparing your ACFID Code reporting |
| 12 July | 2pm – 4pm | Understanding Race & Racism Workshop |
| 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
AP4D released a new options paper this week, focused on how Australia can enhance its coordination with France in the Indo-Pacific. The first major report on Australia-France relations since AUKUS, the options paper outlines how the two countries can continue to recalibrate relations, as well as key risks and opportunities for greater collaboration in the Pacific, Southeast Asia and the Indian Ocean. Of particular interest to the development sector is the report’s findings on what Pacific leaders would like to see from Australia-France coordination, as well as opportunities for DFAT and the French development agency, AFD, to forge closer cooperation.