The Weekly

CEO Top of Mind

Marc Purcell, what is at the top of your mind this week?

Last week the Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade (JSCFADT) tabled its report titled ‘Supporting Democracy in our region’ to the Parliament. In March of this year ACFID appeared before the committee, represented by Jessica Mackenzie, ACFID’s Chief of Policy and Advocacy and Jocelyn Condon, Chief Operating Officer.

The report produced 8 recommendations in total, which called for increasing support for country partnerships with the Australian Electoral Commission, increased electoral assistance, investments in climate change mitigation, support for broadcast media throughout the region, aswell as addressing gender equality within the Pacific.

The recommendations and the report in full can be found here. Our media release can be found here. ACFID welcomes all the recommendations outlined in the report. In particular, we are pleased to see our recommendations reflected in Recommendations 7 and 8 of the report, which call upon the Australian Government to establish a Civil Society Organisation (CSO) Hub in DFAT and to set an annual base-line funding target for the delivery of Official Development Assistance (ODA) through CSOs respectively. These asks have featured in our submissions to the New Development Policy.

ACFID also welcomes the Committee’s recommendations that call on the government to invest in strengthening country partnerships with the Australian Electoral Commission, and to provide a media support program. The sector also appreciates recommendations to build on climate adaptation measures and efforts to support gender equality across the Indo-Pacific. We thank our members for their submissions and testimony before this inquiry.

If you have any questions relating to the inquiry or this report and its recommendations, please reach out to the Policy & Advocacy team at [email protected]

To Note

New Podcast: ACFID, Good Will Hunters and WWF Australia present ‘A Little Less Conversation’

ACFID and Good Will Hunters have teamed up with WWF Australia to produce a special series on climate change in international development, A Little Less Conversation, hosted by Dermot O’Gorman, Jessica Mackenzie and Rachel Mason Nunn. We’ve called on experts and leaders for their insights, including Australia’s Climate Ambassador Kirsten Tilley, the Green Climate Fund’s Henry Gonzalez and Senator David Pocock. Make sure you subscribe, the first episode drops next week.

To Attend

Exclusive: ACFID Member Briefing with Reena Ghelani

ACFID invites you to a virtual briefing with Reena Ghelani, United Nations Famine Prevention and Response Coordinator, who will provide an update on the system-wide response to rising food insecurity, drought and famine, and discuss the role of civil society in supporting this.

• When:  Wednesday 13 December
• Time: 4pm – 5pm AEST
• Where: Online – Register Here

To Action

ACFID Connect and EOIs for consultation with DFAT on Southeast Asia DPPs

We appreciate there is much interest in the new country strategies that DFAT is writing over the coming months, called ‘Development Partnership Plans’ (DPPs) and have two updates for you.

ACFID Connect: Everything you want to ask about DFAT’s DPPs
ACFID is hosting an online ACFID Connect session ‘Everything you want to ask about DFAT’s DPPs Process’ on Thursday 30th November. This will be an overview of what DFAT has communicated to ACFID so far, led by Jess Mackenzie (ACFID’s Chief of Policy and Advocacy), and provides an opportunity to ask questions and share information. The DPP process is largely devolved to country and regional desks, so it is varying significantly from country to country. Please join us if you are interested in learning more.

• When: Thursday 30 November
• Time: 9am – 10am
• Where: Online – Register Here

DFAT Southeast Asia consultation
DFAT’s Office of Southeast Asia is planning to host a one-day workshop in Canberra on 8th December to inform their Southeast Asia DPPs. Prior to this, there will also be a prep meeting at 4pm on Wednesday 29th November, which will provide more information about the December event and an agenda on how they intend to structure the day. Please note that participants need to be available to attend both meetings, and there will be limited places available due to room constraints. Only one expression of interest per organisation.

• When: Friday 8 December (with prep meeting on Wednesday 29 November)
• Where: Canberra – Register your EOI by 12pm Monday 27 November

Please contact [email protected] if you have any queries, or attend the ACFID Connect event on the 30th November.

To Action

Gaza Ceasefire Advocacy

CEOs from humanitarian organisations are gathering in Canberra on Monday and Tuesday urging the Government to call for a permanent ceasefire, an increase to humanitarian assistance and to push for the safe passage and permanent entry of adequate humanitarian assistance into Gaza. If you’re interested in joining the Gaza ceasefire advocacy work, please contact Kat Tu at ActionAid Australia, Lachlan Batchelor at Union Aid Abroad or Rod Goodbun at Oxfam Australia.

To Note

New Partnership to Support Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights in the Pacific

The Australian Government is supporting the Pacific to advance sexual and reproductive health and rights, with a $37 million investment in the second phase of a program being implemented by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). Read the government’s media release here.  ACFID has welcomed the announcement on social media here.

To Note

Productivity Commission Inquiry into Philanthropy

The Commission is set to release a draft report on Thursday 30th November at 10:30pm. Read ACFID’s Submission here.

To Note

DFAT Humanitarian Strategy Consultations

Consultations with DFAT are ongoing regarding DFAT’s Humanitarian Strategy. ACFID and DFAT have agreed to stand-up Technical Advisory Groups, with the first discussion on Disaster Risk Reduction and Anticipatory Action held with DFAT on Monday 13^th November. An additional discussion on protracted crises technical Advisory Group discussion will be held 1:30-3:30pm 5 December. Please refer to the Humanitarian Reference Group’s submission to the New International Development Policy to give you an idea of the scope of discussions.

If you would like further background information, please reach out to DFAT at [email protected]

To Note

DFAT’s International Disability Equity and Rights Strategy: Call for Submissions

The call for submissions for DFAT’s International Disability Equity and Rights Strategy is live and open until until 15 December 2023. Please see this link for further information. If you would like to be involved in providing input to ACFID’s submission to the Strategy or have any questions, please reach out to [email protected].

To Note

National Press Club Address: Pat Conroy MP

The Hon. Pat Conroy MP, Minister for International Development and the Pacfic, is set to deliver an address to the National Press Club. Catch it on ABC News 24, ABC from 12:30pm on Tuesday 28th November.

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