Comments

Hi Lisa, Good blog on an interesting piece of work. It sparks a couple of thoughts: 1. A lot of the time donors like Australia seem to equate development with "stability" and "resilience". These concepts seem to run counter to (progressive) change, which I agree is what development is usually about (however one chooses to measure "progress"). In Western states, development was messy and, in most cases, anything but "stable". It also required overcoming systems that what had for many centuries "resilient" but exclusionary (e.g., institutionalised discrimination). 2. A related point is that external aid programs that support these kinds of coalitions are also, in many cases, also backing "coalitions for the status quo" (i.e., state elites who benefit from no change, or are actively resisting it). It would be interesting in your study to highlight how these tensions play out and how the trade-offs are managed. Look forward to hearing more about this work. Cheers, Cam

Hi Eunice, we’re currently waiting on that visa data to provide an updated progress report. Keep following the DevPol social handles. You can also reach me on my email if you need to chat more. Persevere, remain optimistic and patient is the best advice I can offer at this time. Things are slow. Best, Natasha

Hi Moses, The survey covered several issues, so unfortunately we didn't have the space to ask students for their reasons. Regards, Stephen

Interesting finding. Suggest amending the title to proper context i.e “Most students at the School of Business…” and not “UPNG” given the sample.

Hi Natasha, Are there visa grants issued to PNG selectees/applicants from 2025 ballot so far? I'm one of the applicants awaiting DHA to assess.

Is Upper Mendi LLG included in new Mendi Central Open?

I'm a Papua New Guinea citizen. How can I get donor funding assistance for our Local Community School?

This article provides an insightful overview of the trends in donations to Australian development NGOs, highlighting both the decline in recent years and signs of recovery. Sustained public engagement and policy advocacy play an important role in supporting long-term development outcomes. Organisations such as The Borgen Project focus on raising awareness around global poverty and the importance of effective development funding, which connects closely with the issues discussed in this article.

This article provides a clear and thoughtful overview of the 2025 DAC peer review of Australia’s aid program, including its challenges and areas where progress has been limited. I found the discussion on Australia’s low ODA/GNI ratio and the broader global context for aid funding particularly informative, as it highlights the need for stronger commitment and strategic policy responses to improve aid effectiveness.

Sheldon see my book History of ACFID fig 1, p.3. This takes the numbers back 50 years. I hope you’re not suggesting ACFID Annual Reports are ‘patchy’. A few retired staff may disagree.

I’m a glass half full type of person: the 50 year figures show remarkable stability in terms of adjusted dollar value, but there have been fairly regular fluctuations due to economic circumstances such as recessions etc (the period you refer to has mostly been in a per capita recession, not helped by COVID uncertainty). I remember around 15 years ago an INGO I know had to cut 25% of staff. That’s the sort of thing that management is virtually always facing. Tsunami windfalls can’t be banked by definition, but lead to increased staffing which ultimately have to be let go. That is a sort of NGO paradox.

This was a very insightful article on the challenges and progress surrounding the goal of ending extreme poverty by 2030. I found the discussion around policy commitments and global cooperation particularly interesting, as it highlights how long-term solutions require sustained advocacy and political will.