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From Gordon Peake on The diabolically difficult mid-term review
Thanks so much, Stacey. I appreciate your kind feedback and will check out the Tonga report. And you are right: all credit to MFAT for putting the report on line. (By contrast, few reports of Australian funded policing programs make their way online)
From having received lots of private feedback on the blog, my sense is that this is not a problem restricted to law and justice programs alone! Some of the tales I heard were very much in the 'not sure whether to laugh or cry' category. All best, and thanks again
From Mike Rose on Food as if by magic: how can Australia thank its seasonal workers?
Hi Satish. Thanks for engaging. You're absolutely right that making sure our seasonal workers are paid and looked after properly has to be the first priority. As far as I can see, with the occasional unfortunate exception, so far the SWP has worked pretty well in making sure this happens, and now seems poised to grow further. This being the case, I hope that it will increasingly foster closer economic and person-to-person ties between Australia the Pacific- public recognition of the essential work that seasonal workers do could be part of that.
From Mike Rose on Food as if by magic: how can Australia thank its seasonal workers?
Hi Carol. People such as yourself who are willing to go the extra mile to help out are an often unheralded part of what makes the SWP possible- rural Australia at its best. Regulation and monitoring are essential, but a supportive community is necessary if either are to be really effective.
From Michael Maley on The diabolically difficult mid-term review
Thanks for an interesting post. One thing that has struck me over the years is that while most people agree that governance support is a long-term undertaking, people too often seek to meet bureaucratic requirements by specifying short-term, often quantitative, performance indicators. And too often, what's important isn't measurable, and what's measurable isn't important. For example, in the field in which I used to work, electoral assistance, by far the most crucial (though usually unstated) objective was to build a culture of honesty and independence, of the type which would cause an administrator faced with political pressure to stand up for proper practice. This is the sort of thing which can only be tested when it actually happens, and one lived in hope that it never would.
From Carol on Food as if by magic: how can Australia thank its seasonal workers?
Local communities can be of help. I sourced 12 blankets for Ni Van in the neighbourhood. I have requested they return them to me for storage for next winter.
From Mike Rose on Food as if by magic: how can Australia thank its seasonal workers?
Thanks Kate. Hopefully putting it up on the Development Policy blog is a good first step. We'll see where it goes from there.
From Mike Rose on Food as if by magic: how can Australia thank its seasonal workers?
Thanks for your comments Uday. I've just downloaded the NITI policy paper and will pursue with interest. The context is certainly different from that prevailing in Australia (the issue here tends to be more about the lack of labour than the lack of money), although as you point out the ethical challenges stemming from the invisible nature of much agricultural work are fairly universal.
From Satish Chand on Food as if by magic: how can Australia thank its seasonal workers?
Disturbing story on your friend being asked to leave food at the door without any acknowledgement for the service. I strongly endorse the suggestions for recognition of the service our seasonal workers provide to the community. The least Australia can do is ensure that the workers are paid and looked after well. Any recognition over and above that would be icing on the cake.
From Oksie Kunapa on Papua New Guinea’s National Standard for Community Development Workers
I can confidently and safely say that the PNG National Standards for Community Development Workers has enhanced and increased the knowledge and skills of ordinary CDW and fine-tuned them into finished products as indicated by the level of confidence demonstrated during training facilitation and project initiation, planning and implementation.
The most important thing here is to see change in people (beneficiaries) which we work with through application of these skills and knowledge gained.
Apart from introducing Oil Search Foundation to PNG National Standard for CDW, I have also incorporated and established my own Community Based Organisation under the name Agarabi Rural Development Association and managed to develop my community through the funds secured from UNDP, USAID, and Oil Search Foundation and many more still forthcoming!
I'd like to take this time to thank and appreciate Chris Gard, Rebecca Robinson and others for your efforts in establishing PNGNSCDW! The resources are awesome and mostly importantly it is PNG local content/context.
I would encourage others who are working as development practitioners to be part and parcel of this important organisation and learn the skills and knowledge required to mould and shape you to become professional CDW!
From Uday on Food as if by magic: how can Australia thank its seasonal workers?
Nice article! You are right, the "people who work out of sight and out of mind are more vulnerable". The farmers are one such group. It might be interesting for you to look at the recent policies by Indian Government that aims to double the income of farmers. How these claims are working?
From Gordon Peake on The diabolically difficult mid-term review