Policy Updates

On July 17, 2024, the ACFID reported that Australia had fallen to 48^th out of 50 countries in the 2024 International Aid Transparency Index.

ACFID Chief of Policy and Advocacy Jocelyn Condon indicated that Australia was just ahead of China in terms of transparency on humanitarian assistance and development spending.

Condon acknowledged that the Australian government had committed to improve ODA transparency in its new international development policy released in 2023. She noted that more needed to be done on transparency, which in turn would improve the coordination and effectiveness of humanitarian and development assistance.

The decline in Australia’s ODA transparency performance was echoed through the biennial transparency audits conducted by the Development Policy Centre at the Australian National University. Spokesperson for the Development Policy Centre Cameron Hill noted that Minister for International Development and the Pacific Pat Conroy has made transparency one of the five defining issues for the current Labor government's approach to Australian ODA.

On July 10, 2024, the Australian National University’s annual public opinion survey on ODA revealed that more Australians believe Australia disburses too much ODA than years prior, indicating a decline in public support for ODA expenditures.

Conducted by the university’s Development Policy Centre, the poll indicated that 40% of Australians believe Australia disburses too much ODA, compared to 36% in 2023. A total of 51% of respondents believed that Australia gave either too little or about the correct amount of ODA.

The Development Policy Centre polls Australians annually to track changes in attitude over time. It provided respondents with details of Australian government expenditures on ODA in the context of the poll.

On July 8, 2024, it was reported that Australia’s two major domestic funders of health and medical research, the NHMRC and the MRFF, established advisory committees to provide advice on strategies and funding.

The NHMRC and the MRFF collectively provide almost AUD1.6 billion (US$1.1 billion) in medical research funding annually. A small proportion of this funding is for global health issues.

The organizations set up four advisory groups. One of these is an industry, philanthropy, and commercialization committee. This enables philanthropic involvement in guiding medical research on health strategies. A separate committee is to advise on improving preventative health, primary care and public health services and embedding translational research in the health system.

Nominations for the committees, including from philanthropic representatives and community members, close on July 31, 2024.

On July 2, 2024, the Australian National University’s Development Policy Centre announced its conference schedule for 2024.

The annual Papua New Guinea update is slated to be held on August 21-22 at the University of Papua New Guinea in Port Moresby. The 2024 theme is securing a stable environment for growth and development.

The center’s main 2024 Australasian AID Conference is to be held from December 3-5 at the Australian National University campus in Canberra. Paper submissions and panel proposals for the conference close on August 30, 2024.

On June 21, 2024, Australian Minister for International Development and the Pacific Pat Conroy announced a AUD5 million (US$3 million) commitment to assist veterinary capacity to identify and respond to animal disease outbreaks in regional countries.

The program would be delivered through a consortium headed by the University of Sydney.

Another program, totaling AUD11 million (US$7 million), is slated to be conducted in partnership with the Menzies School of Health Research, to improve health surveillance by countries in Southeast Asia, including monitoring AMR.

A further AUD16 million (US$11 million) was allocated to assist the development of better drugs for neglected tropical diseases. It will be be delivered through the Melbourne-based Medicines Development for Global Health, a not-for-profit bio-pharmaceutical company.

On June 21, 2024, Australian Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong and Minister for Industry and Science Ed Husic announced a program of partnerships with CSIRO, totaling AUD24 million (US$16 million).

These would fund capacity building in identifying and responding to disease outbreaks in the Pacific and Southeast Asia. Countries involved included Fiji, Laos, Indonesia, and Vietnam.

CSIRO’s Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness is slated to receive AUD16 million (US$11 million) to strengthen animal health laboratories in Southeast Asia as well as Pacific Island field diagnostic networks.

The initiative also includes assistance to improve capabilities in Southeast Asia to develop and manufacture biopharmaceuticals and vaccines.

On June 17, 2024, the second edition of the Australian Lowy Institute's 'aid map' documents showed overall ODA flows to Southeast Asia from all sources declined to US$26 billion in 2022, following a reduction in COVID-19 related support.

Some traditional donors, including Australia, showed a small decline in ODA transfers. Substantial reductions appeared in flows from China and the ADB.

Southeast Asia also saw a significant decline in climate-oriented development finance. Lowy indicated that climate finance had declined by 15% over the previous year.

The map covered financial flows by 107 development partners to 120,000 projects.

On June 12, 2024, Australian Minister for Youth Dr. Anne Aly announced that Australia would provide an additional AUD10 million (US$6 million) for humanitarian relief in Gaza to address urgent needs through the WFP.

Aly represented Australia at Jordan's Gaza conference in Amman, organized by Jordan, Egypt, and the UN.

Aly was born in Egypt and is the first Australian female federal parliamentarian of Islamic faith. Before entering Parliament, Aly worked as a lecturer, professor, and counter-terrorism expert.

On June 8, 2024, Australian Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong announced that Australian national Natasha Stott Despoja was re-elected to the 23-person UN committee monitoring the implementation of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women.

Stott Despoja was previously Australian Ambassador for Women and Girls as well as an Australian senator. She was reappointed to the committee in her personal capacity, and will commence her second term on January 1, 2025.

On May 31, 2024, Australian Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong announced a new funding package, totaling AUD20 million (US$13 million), to provide humanitarian and energy assistance for Ukrainians.

Ukraine had requested a direct shipment of coal to bolster its energy sector, however, Australia preferred to provide more flexible assistance through the Ukraine Energy Support Fund. The fund was jointly established by Ukraine’s Ministry of Energy and the EU.

An additional AUD10 million (US$7 million) is slated to be provided for access to shelter, food, and water through the UNOCHA.

Funds will also be provided through the UN Partnership on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. This aimed to improve services for Ukrainian people with disabilities.