Rudd: Aust will boost aid to PNG

AUSTRALIAN Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd announced yesterday that Australia will boost its aid to Papua New Guinea, Indonesia and Timor- Leste.
He said this when announcing Canberra’s response to the first independent review of Australia’s aid programme in 15 years, accepting 38 of its 39 recommendations.
The review led by former Sydney Olympics boss Sandy Hollway found the aid programme was good but could be improved.
With the aid budget set to balloon to more than A$8 billion during the next five years, Rudd said PNG, Indonesia and Timor-Leste would remain its top focus.
He said this was to ensure the aid programme was strategic, more transparent and got real results.
“The government is determined to ensure every aid dollar makes a real difference to the lives of the world’s poorest people,” he said.
“These are the most far-reaching changes to the aid programme in more than a decade.”
Making a real difference – delivering real results outlines the government’s response to the independent review of aid effectiveness, the first independent review of Australian aid since 1996.
“I commissioned this independent review to focus on aid effectiveness, take a comprehensive look at the management and quality of Australia’s aid and to give direction to the future of our aid programme,” Rudd said.
“The government has welcomed the findings of the independent review and has agreed (or agreed in principle) to 38 of 39 of its recommendations.
“Building on the findings of the independent review, the government will make effectiveness the cornerstone of the aid programme,” he said.
“This will be an enduring effort – increasing aid effectiveness is a major objective and will require determination and persistence.
“Decisive action will be taken when aid programmes are found not be performing.
“The transparency of the aid programme will be strengthened through a new Transparency Charter, under which accurate and up-to-date results on all aid programmes will be published.
“The government has adopted the independent review’s recommendation that the fundamental purpose of the aid programme is to help people overcome poverty.
“It has agreed clear strategic goals for the programme which will be implemented through a four-year rolling strategy.
“In addition, we will provide more opportunities for Australians to become involved with the aid programme, including more volunteers and closer links with business and community groups.”
For more information on the government’s response to Independent Review of Aid Effectiveness visit www.ausaid.gov.au.