Uneven ambition

Australia is struggling to manage its fraught position between China and the United States, while trying to find a durable place among a crowd of ambitious partner nations across Southeast Asia and the Pacific.

A fresh start for US aid?

The United States government is considering replacing USAID with a new agency, the US Agency for International Humanitarian Assistance, according to documents published by POLITICO.

Australia’s new aid ambition

Australia’s new approach to aid in the Pacific will emphasise the importance of local employment in infrastructure projects in contrast to China’s approach of importing Chinese workers to build a more prosperous region.

Partnering with the Pacific

As Vanuatu starts the long road to recovery from tropical cyclones Judy and Kevin, which hit in quick succession over the past week, it’s an opportune time for Australia, New Zealand and the US to discuss how to improve their collective response to disasters in the region.

Changing the conversation on Pacific infrastructure

Australia should prioritise initiatives and models that deliver social, economic and environmental benefits in its aid to the Pacific.

The future of Australian disaster relief

Faced with increasing environmental and geo-political challenges, Australia can improve its disaster relief capacity in the Pacific and beyond through a series of small but telling changes.

Australia’s foreign aid is shaped by domestic politics

The Pacific Step-up is billed as one of the “highest foreign policy priorities” of Australia, however, unfavourable domestic political forces have shaped Australia’s foreign aid budget, shrinking its overall size for the past decade.

Multilateralism à la carte

Much has been written about the changing international order and the ‘crisis’ of multilateralism in recent months. The winds of change have been howling, and it’s time for Australia to step up to the challenge.

Going big and bold in the South Pacific

Australia should look at big and bold projects that enhance our influence and assist Pacific nations in key areas at a time when they are sorely tested in economic, social and strategic terms.

COVID-19 and Australian aid in the Pacific

Above and beyond the COVID crisis, if Australia really wants to help the Pacific, it needs to be a global citizen. Australia can afford to increase its aid budget as aid currently represents less than one per cent of federal spending.

This is not the time for Australia to reduce its aid to PNG and the South Pacific

Australia needs to assure the people in our region that we are not neglecting them despite our own massive fiscal and economic challenges due to COVID-19.

Australian aid should take account of global mega-trends

The developing world is being shaped by five mega-trends which our political leaders must acknowledge to make the most of our tremendous potential to make the world a better place.