ACFID 2010 Federal election call to the parties

This federal election, the Australian Council of International Development (of which Oxfam Australia is a member) is calling on all major political parties and all political candidates to commit Australia to play its full part in achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

To help achieve these goals, agreed to by 189 heads of state and government in 2000, Australian NGOs working in international development ask the next Australian government to deliver better aid, more aid and just aid through the actions outlined in ACFID Call to the Parties: 2010 Federal Election:

Key recommendations of ‘ACFID Call to the Parties’

MORE AID

• Announce a clear timetable for accelerating growth in the Aid Budget to 0.7% of Gross National Income and collaboratively develop a Strategic Framework to position AusAID to manage the growth in the Aid Budget more effectively
• Support the introduction of the ‘Robin Hood tax’ on global financial market transactions to help fund development assistance and climate change adaptation

BETTER AID

• Increase the share of development assistance delivered through NGOs and skilled volunteer programs from 7% to at least 10% of the Aid Budget
• Create the position of Ambassador for Women’s Rights, to promote gender equality and women’s empowerment in our region
• Develop a mechanism within the AusAID Office of Development Effectiveness to monitor the impact of development programs on the rights and well-being of the poorest 20% in focus communities
• Promote the ratification, implementation and monitoring of the United Nations Convention against Corruption, especially in the Asia and Pacific regions

JUST AID

• Increase funding to:
  • health to 20% of the overall Aid Budget (around $1200 million a year by 2012) – the emphasis of this funding should be on maternal and child health to help achieve MDG outcomes
  • primary and secondary education to around $400 million per annum – with a focus on supporting girls to complete primary school, in line with MDG targets
  • rural livelihoods to 12-14% of the Aid Budget over three years ($800 million by 2013) – priority should be given to supporting smallholder farmers, the majority of whom are women
• Fully fund the government’s strategy ‘Development for All: Towards a disability-inclusive Australian aid program 2009-2014’
• Ensure assistance to meet the challenge of climate change is new money (around $600 million by 2012-2013), not funds redirected from other development priorities and that it is aimed, primarily, at assisting the most vulnerable communities in our region
• Increase humanitarian funding within the AusAID Global Program budget to 10% and create predictable multiyear contingency funding for emergencies