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Ah, the sweet aroma of cultural preservation wafts through the halls of foreign policy. Australia, that well-meaning neighbor with a penchant for meddling, has decided to sprinkle some fairy dust on Melanesian systems. But beware, Melanesians, for this is no ordinary fairy tale—it’s a cinnamon-dusted, sugar-coated saga. Picture this: A conference room adorned with woven mats, where diplomats sip coconut water and discuss global standards. “Gentlemen,” says the Australian envoy, “let’s integrate Indigenous customs into our justice procedures. It’s like adding pineapple to pizza—unconventional, but oh-so-exotic.” Meanwhile, Melanesian leaders exchange knowing glances. They’ve seen this show before. Global standards, like clingy ex-lovers, have infiltrated every crevice of their governance. “Our ancestors,” they muse, “must be rolling in their yam gardens. HAHA” But wait, there’s more! When all else fails, Australia suggests a cultural Hail Mary: “Let’s try their traditional customs!” “Remember those sacred rituals and practices we dismissed as quaint? Well, dust off the kava bowls and fire up the bamboo flutes. It’s showtime!” And so, the dance begins. Lawyers waltz with tribal chiefs, negotiating land disputes to the beat of ancient drums. “Your honor,” says the ni-Vanuatu attorney, “I propose a seashell currency for legal fees. It’s inflation-proof and biodegradable.” Australia, bless her heart, wants to be respectful. “We’ll preserve your culture,” they promise, “like a jam-filled doughnut—sweet, messy, and occasionally indigestible.” When foreign policy meets cultural integration, it’s like mixing Vegemite with taro paste. Some things just don’t blend. But fear not, dear Melanesia, for your traditions endure. And if all else fails, dunk them in coffee—because even global standards need a caffeine boost. But happy celebrations. Cheeeeeeuuuu!

Tank you for government Australia guiving opportunity

Agreed Adrian. Ive lived in the Pacific for 35 years. I don't see our AID spend making much difference. Splitting into areas spent - would at least allow us to pose questions on why things still don't improve. The standard 3 year consultant who writes a 500 page report and leaves needs examination for starters.

Terence I don't call it Government spending I call it the spending of our taxes. My research is not into spending percentage. My research is done by how much new AID they announce near every time they get off an international flight. They have to make sure the budget gets spent I guess. If AID is falling as a share of so called " Government spending" and as a share of GNI - excellent. Only 22% wont be happy. A clear minority. Could ask that 22% next survey - how many of them pay income taxes.

Thanks Adrian, this would be a great idea for a survey experiment: emphasise different sectors that aid is focused on and see whether some were more likely to change attitudes. Some of our work has touched on this, but we haven't tested it directly. See here for more: https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=4249482

Hi Jason, You state: "if Albanese, Marles and Wong keep throwing our taxes around like its their own". And you emphasise that most Australians are not in favour of an aid increase. I'm not sure where your information on government spending comes from, but it is worth noting that the current government is not increasing aid in any meaningful way. The aid budget is staying static when inflation is taken into account. Aid is falling as a share of government spending. And aid is falling as a share of GNI. Terence

Terence From your numbers you could add 22 and 29 and say a 51% majority ( barely) don't want aid cut. To me that's a long bow when up or down its really just 22% saying it should be more versus almost double that, 40% saying it should be less. But surely as its taxpayers money - the far greater majority is the 40 and 29 - 69% clear majority that say current AID is enough or more than enough. Given how tough people in Australia are doing it - Id say that 69% is pretty relevant come election time - if Albanese, Marles and Wong keep throwing our taxes around like its their own. I wonder how many of the 22% who say "not enough" actually pay much income tax. Could make that a demographic question next survey.

Thanks for continuing this survey. As you point out in your commentary, it is interesting (and encouraging) that attitudes towards development spending haven't soured even more sharply given the financial pressure many Australian households are currently experiencing. It would be interesting to know if attitudes towards aid would shift depending on the type of assistance (ie health, education, economic, law and order, environment etc). You've undoubtedly considered this but just a suggestion.

Thank you very much for sharing your experience, Stephen. It's heartbreaking to hear that your dad's hearing needs were neglected during his hospital stays. Your story underscores the urgent need for more inclusive assistive technology initiatives, ensuring that older people are not left behind. Hopefully, this piece will bring attention to the existing gap and inspire concrete actions to address these inequities.

Hi Clay, Thank you for the comment. We provide people with information on the size of the aid budget. We tell them aid/federal government spending. (Absolute aid amounts seem large, even though they are not. Most people don't understand GNI. So we use government spending as the denominator - it's pretty easily understood.) Here's our question wording. = Every year the Australian government gives aid money to poorer countries. Currently just under $1 out of every $100 of federal government spending is given as aid. Which one of the following options best reflects your opinion about aid spending? = Interestingly providing Australian's with accurate information on aid spending in experiments didn't seem to shift views much. See: https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=4249482 and https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2885536 Thanks Terence

The annual research continues to be interesting. However, other studies indicate that many people over-estimate the amount of Australia's foreign aid. Have you tried to control for that, ie to understand if people who say Australia gives too much aid actually understand how low it is compared to other countries?

I really agree with this call. My Dad is quite elderly and in the last few years has had to have several hospital stints. In none of them has anyone cared whether his hearing aids are working and being used. Often, they are not. It's just discrimination and should be unacceptable. As you say an "often overlooked demographic".