Comments

Dear Robin, thank you for sharing your views on this topic – really insightful! I think it would be interesting to take a closer look at the examples you mentioned. Best Stephen

Looking forward to applying in 2024

The concept of Global Public Investment is certainly less useful than sometimes advertised as an alternative or successor to the concept of Official Development Assistance. And it works better as an abstract category of international financing than it does as a rallying point for resource mobilisation. But GPI need not be and is not always presented as a replacement for ODA; it is sometimes proposed as a complement, with an additionality stipulation. And the requirement for all countries to contribute is separable from the core concept, as we see in the case of various global environment funds. GPI suffers from being neither chicken nor egg: the global institutions we have for financing global public goods are almost entirely ODA-funded, which means they are obliged to operate only for the benefit of developing countries and spread their resources more or less according to equitable allocation criteria that work against global impact. For this reason, nobody has yet been able to build an institution that is big enough to fight a global public bad, expert and inclusive enough to win broad-based trust, yet hard-nosed enough to put its money exactly where it will achieve the greatest impact for the world as a whole. The new, smaller-than-hoped Pandemic Fund is built along the same lines as many previous climate and health financing vehicles. The formerly ODA-dependent Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations is a notable exception in that it raised a lot of non-ODA funding to support pandemic vaccine development. However, it took a once-in-a-century pandemic to deliver that funding surge, and a GPI-funded institution needs a flow rather than a surge. Governments will need to be sure their global institutions can use GPI well, and they will never be sure until somebody builds and operates one. But with only ODA to deploy, it’s hard to see that happening — as the Pandemic Fund experience shows. Catch-22.

While we highly appreciate the endorsement announcement by the Australian Senate, we are concerned that the final rollout stages may take a considerable amount of time.

Thank Australia for open this doors of opportunity for us the Pacific family to work an live there support our family, when will the visa be commencing, please update.

Hi Tomasi, thank you for your comment. Applications for the Pacific Engagement Visa are not yet open. Applications for the ballot will be able to be lodged online with the Department of Home Affairs once the ballot opens, so please continue to check their website. https://www.homeaffairs.gov.au/

Very interesting read. I want to think that policy is an issue. At the policy level, most organizations are great. The challenge is in translating policies into tangible, observable practical actions at the ground level. That's what I want to see as an amputee, ACTIONS.

Thank you Alfred, and great to hear from you. I think your point about her stance setting a norm or expectation is a great point thank you. I also agree the risk of tokenism is a big issue though. Thanks again Terence

How will I download the application form of PEV visa????

Thank you to all who have responded to my blog. Other comments have picked up points I would have made in response to the critical feedback. Suzanne asked why can’t workers be afforded the same rights and respect as the free flow globally of money and goods. Kingtau Mambon in response noted that ‘Moving Humans (Labour) unlike other material things isn’t just a matter of economics. Other dimensions such as social, cultural and political dimensions should be taken into consideration. Its complex’. Bal Kama doubted that the PALM scheme was highly regulated based on the cases he has dealt with. Randall Prior, who has extensive experience as an independent monitor of worker welfare, points to the revised Deed of Agreement and Guidelines that approved employers must sign onto before they can employ PALM workers. What Randall did not mention was the large number of staff in the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations who are monitoring closely how well approved employers are complying with the complex set of requirements. If people are concerned about workers' welfare and working conditions in agriculture, they should turn their action to those working in rural and remote areas who are on the minimally regulated Working Holiday Maker visas. These workers, often with limited English, are much more vulnerable. They are left on their own to find their own accommodation. They also have to negotiate with employers on the basis of limited information about their legally required working conditions and entitlements.

Always insightful Terence. For many foreign ministers the effectiveness agenda unfortunately remains secondary to the diplomacy gains of aid. However, I am hopeful that Mahuta's inclusion of indigenous principles in NZ foreign policy, while under the new government might be short-lived, it may set a new standard of expectations by Pacific countries around the inclusion of indigenous principles in policy and practice of aid delivery - my fear though is that it might also give rise to more indigenous catch phrases as the titles of partnership agreements with the Pacific. Malo!

SOEs just want the Regulator to accept the full cost of the outsourced supply of bulk power purchased from the IPPs, by increasing the retail tariffs. While IPPs should be paid according to the volume of bulk they've delivered (plus associated investment costs as agreed under the relevant concessionaire), an equity issue arises here. Is it fair to make those legally connected pay for those who are stealing power? (Remember this simplified function, Price = Revenue from Billed Volume/ Billed Volume, and not from the Total Volume fed into the Grid). What kind of incentive is there for the SOE to reduce losses at the retail end if tariffs are adjusted upwards without putting in place loss targets, and/or strategizing an efficient debt recovery process? Aging infrastructure issues can be addressed once we get the basics right. You do not need to be a power person or a regulator to understand this. This is basic stuff that a thinking consumer can question.