Right: World Vision's Tim Costello delivers Australian-donated food to Ethiopia. Costello has crticised the new Australian government's aid plans.
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Background information
(The following information is abbreviated from the Wikipedia entry titled AusAID. The full text can be accessed at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AusAID)
AusAID (the Australian Agency for International Development) is the Australian Government agency responsible for managing Australia's overseas aid program. The objective of the aid program is to assist developing countries to reduce poverty and achieve sustainable development, in line with Australia's national interest.
AusAID provides advice and support to the Minister for Foreign Affairs, presently the Hon. Julie Bishop MP on development policy, and plans and coordinates poverty reduction activities in partnership with developing countries.
While an independent agency under the Financial Management and Accountability Act, it is part of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade for the purposes of the Public Service Act which covers human resources and non-financial accountability. AusAID's head office is in Canberra. AusAID also has representatives in 25 Australian diplomatic missions overseas.
The operation of Australian foreign aid agencies
Prior to 30 June 2013, the agency reported to the Minister for Foreign Affairs. Australia's first Minister for International Development was appointed on 1 July 2013. The current Director General is Peter Baxter. With the new Abbott government in power, the Minister for the DFAT is also the Minister for International Development.
The Australian government has been committed to the implementation of the Millennium Development Goals- agreed targets set by the world's nations to reduce poverty by 2016-and incorporates the principles of aid effectiveness into all its activities. (The Coalition has removed the timeline for Australia to contribute 0.5 per cent of its Gross National Income to overseas aid - which was part of Australia's commitment to the Millennium Development Goals.0
The 2005-06 Annual Report recorded 18 staff in the senior executive service out of a total of 516 public servant staff. Sixty-eight AusAID public servants are serving long-term postings outside Australia. These figures do not include locally employed staff outside Australia.
Total Australian Official Development Assistance in 2005-06 was A$2,605 million, not all of it administered by AusAID. AusAID administered $1,587 million of expenses in 2005-06 and also had departmental expenses (i.e. under its direct control) of A$78 million.
Projects
Australia's aid program takes a leading role in the fight against preventable disease in our region. Australia's aid effort has wiped out polio from the Pacific. Australia has also funded measles and polio immunisations for more than 1.5 million children in Papua New Guinea.
AusAID works to improve the quality of basics services. Water supply and sanitation programs are providing fresh water for nearly 500,000 people in Tanzania, South Africa, Mozambique and Zimbabwe. AusAID funds projects such as the M? Thu?n Bridge in Vietnam's Mekong Delta region. The bridge now benefits more than three million people living below the poverty line.
Over the past 40 years: average life expectancy in developing countries has increased by 20 years; adult illiteracy has almost halved; maternal mortality has decreased by 50 per cent. the number of people living in poverty has fallen by 200 million since 1980.
Australian aid has contributed to these achievements.