Advisory Council

The main way that we help people overseas is through the Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID). But who decides who we help and how much we help them?

Submitted 3/08/2006 By MrSpud Views 4709 Comments 4 Updated 3/08/2006

There is a group of people that are tasked with these choices they are the Aid Advisory Council. The Idea is that it provides independent expert views on planning and delivering Australia's aid program. It helps to ensure the aid program reflects the values of the wider Australian community and is an important means of opening the aid program up to new ideas and approaches to development.

The problem is that this council is made up of the ‘usual suspects’. By this I mean that they are all people that have a vested interest in the ‘AID industry’. They are not really ‘independent’. Such as Mr Tim Costello (Chief Executive, World Vision Australia) the brother of the Treasurer, and Dr Jane Thomason (Director, JTA International) who have millions of dollars in contracts with AusAID.

So what has this got to do with youth? Well there is no one on the council that is under the age of 30! Why is it important to have young people on this council seeing that there are a lot of advisory boards that do not have you people on them? Seeing that the majority of people in the developing world are under the age of 30, there should be someone that is under 30 on the council.



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Josie 28-Aug-2006

I think there are plenty of young people out there who want to make a positive contribution in the world. Having these young people with global visions of a more just world involved in the development of policies for such organisations as Ausaid will be greatly beneficial for our world. We need more people who care about humanity.
Most aid giving is really about what it does for the giving country not the recipient, which continues the cycle of debt. Young inspiring minds would go a long way to changing this I’m sure!!

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Mim 15-Aug-2006

Have you thought about contacting AusAid, the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs about your views? It seems like other members agree with you, so maybe you guys could band together and start lobbying to get a young person on the council? I think it's especially relevant when you consider how active young people are in AusAid activities (the youth ambassador program).

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jonopado 09-Aug-2006

Wow, finally a no popularist topic on the forum. There is always a disparity when it comes to giving out Aid to various countries. Really the only reason a government gives out aid is because it is trying to bribe a particular country into accepting its intentions. Seeing that the Aid industry is worth billions of dollars each year it is a real concern that the people that are advising who the aid should go to are themselves involved with the contracts from AusAID. I mean if you look at the whole Advisory council there is not one person that would express an independent view. I mean why would they go against the flow if they all have their snout in the trough.

The mixture of the Council is another great point. I mean young people (well at least any one under the age of 30) would at least have a dynamic view point. They could come up with some new ideas. I guess that the parliamentary sectary and the minister are just in the hobbit of maintaining the dominance of baby boomers in power.

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Tim Scutt 05-Aug-2006

I agree with you MrSpud. If we (the youth) are responsible for the future to come, why is it that we are not able to have a say it was we will be responsible for?! Its unbelievable.
I didn't know about the advisory council of AusAID and who made it up...i think i might do some investigation for myself...mmmm...! :)

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