Gauging Change in Australian Aid: Stakeholder Perceptions of the Government Aid Program

Wood, Terence; Burkot, Camilla; Howes, Stephen

doi:10.1002/app5.173

Cited by 12 publications

(7 citation statements)

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“…Dornan () examines conditionality and the limits to policy influence that donors exercise. There have also been studies of aid program changes on the donor side, the most relevant of which examine changes to Australia's and New Zealand's aid programs (see Banks et al () for a study of changes in New Zealand, and Corbett (), Corbett and Dinnen (), Day (), and Wood et al () for studies of changes to foreign aid in Australia).…”

Section: Literature On Aid In the Pacificmentioning

confidence: 99%

Foreign Aid to the Pacific: Trends and Developments in the Twenty‐First Century

Dornan

Pryke

2017

Asia & Pacific Policy Stud

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The Pacific islands is one of the most aiddependent regions in the world. This article examines developments in the delivery of foreign aid to the region since the year 2000, a period in which there has been considerable change in both the amount and way in which aid is delivered internationally. Although Pacific island countries have seen a scale-up in development assistance, it has been modest relative to that enjoyed by other developing countries. Improvement has been mixed in areas identified as a concern by the aid effectiveness agenda, with high levels of volatility and lack of predictability particularly problematic.

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Section: Literature On Aid In the Pacificmentioning

confidence: 99%

Foreign Aid to the Pacific: Trends and Developments in the Twenty‐First Century

Dornan

Pryke

2017

Asia & Pacific Policy Stud

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“…Wood, Burkot, and Howes (2017, p. 238) summarize the key changes as covering three main aspects firstly, the former agency known as AusAid was integrated into the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT); secondly there was an overall aid budget cut; and thirdly, there was a stronger focus on economic diplomacy. Wood et al (2017) analysed the changes as a result of the change in government for Australia, with the election of the Liberal-National coalition Tony Abbot-led government in September 2013. Abbot, in turn, was replaced as leader by Malcolm Turnbull in September 2015 though the coalition remained in power.…”

Section: Australia's Country Programmable Aidmentioning

confidence: 99%

Siutakahe'ahoafā: Navigating the Kingdom of Tonga's national development priorities under international aid.

Taumoefolau¹

2021

Preprint

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The title of this thesis - Siutaka he ‘aho afā – is interpreted as ‘Day storm voyager’. This title encapsulates the journeys undertaken by the Kingdom of Tonga as it navigates the ocean of international development and the frequent challenges or ‘storms’ it encounters. This research seeks to understand better how Tonga articulates and pursues its national development priorities in the context of international aid. It focuses in particular on Country Programmable Aid to Tonga from Australia and New Zealand in the years 2013-17 and how the Paris Declaration on Aid Effectiveness Principles are applied to Tonga. The main research question addressed is: ‘To what extent are the national development priorities of Tonga shaped or supported by international aid?’ The research is qualitative in approach and is composed of two sources of data: from in-depth interviews with a range of both Tongan and donor officials; and analysis of key aid and development documents. It examines the political and administrative context of Tonga, highlighting the political environment, changing leadership and the direction set by its strategic goals for development. It then looks in detail at the aid activities of, respectively, Australia and New Zealand, and analyses their various priorities and ways of operating. The research uses the five Paris Declaration principles for aid effectiveness as a framework to analyse the way aid relationships and interactions occurred in Tonga over the period. There was generally high-level support for the Paris principles and these supported the idea that the Government of Tonga should ‘own’ its development, by drafting and implementing its development priorities and strategies. This was supported by agreement to abide by the principles of alignment with Tongan systems and Harmonisation amongst donors as well as pursuing practices which enhanced results-based management and accountability. However, in the details of daily interactions and practices, we also saw how these high-level agreements were often diluted or confused. Although Tonga had its own set of priorities, donors continued to choose which of these they would fund, according to their own strategic goals and concerns. Furthermore, given significant issues of capacity to operate effectively in the aid environment, with much onus on Tongan officials and agencies to provide data, report on progress, consult with the public and engage closely with donors, we saw how Tonga often struggled to exert strong and consistent leadership and control of aid-supported development. In drawing broader conclusions, the Paris Declaration is found to be a step in the right direction for improving the effectiveness of foreign aid to Tonga. However, what determines the likelihood of effectiveness is multifaceted, and dependent on will, need, and, perhaps most importantly, on Tonga’s leadership. It is found that the most fundamental factor for Tonga – both a unique challenge and a strength - is the enduring resilience of our culture together with our leadership code.

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“…Early in the Abbott government, AusAID was disbanded as an executive agency and absorbed into DFAT. Moore (2019) and Wood et al (2017) document a significant loss of foreign aid expertise within DFAT over this period due to the integration and the retrenchment of many experienced aid program managers and advisers. 5 The raison d'être for the aid program also shifted in these years of declining aid volumes.…”

Section: Retrenchment and Its Aftermathmentioning

confidence: 99%

What parliamentarians think about Australia's post‐COVID‐19 aid program: The emerging ‘cautious consensus’ in Australian aid

Day

Wells

2021

Asia & Pacific Policy Stud

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Since the onset of the COVID‐19 pandemic, the Australian Government has been ambiguous in the way it has communicated the aid budget. On some occasions, it has sought to downplay increases in aid spending, while at other times it has sought to downplay cuts to aid spending. We draw on interviews with federal parliamentarians and key informants to understand these dynamics, in the context of obtaining their views on changes to Australia's post‐COVID‐19 aid policy. We find evidence that a new political consensus is forming around Australian aid. While this ‘cautious consensus’ countenances aid spending increases, motivated in part by humanitarian concerns but especially by anxiety about increasing Chinese influence in the region, these priorities are tempered by considerable concern about public backlash at a time of significant economic challenges for Australian citizens. Based on this evidence, we define the contours of an emerging ‘cautious consensus’ by showing how it will differ from the earlier ‘golden consensus’ era of Australian aid.

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Gauging Change in Australian Aid: Stakeholder Perceptions of the Government Aid Program

Cited by 12 publications

References 10 publications

Foreign Aid to the Pacific: Trends and Developments in the Twenty‐First Century

Foreign Aid to the Pacific: Trends and Developments in the Twenty‐First Century

Siutakahe'ahoafā: Navigating the Kingdom of Tonga's national development priorities under international aid.

What parliamentarians think about Australia's post‐COVID‐19 aid program: The emerging ‘cautious consensus’ in Australian aid

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