Looking Back Looking Forward:

The Challenges for ACFID in its second fifty

years.

Dr Patrick Kilby

“Where did you go to, if I may ask?' said Thorin to Gandalf as they rode along. To look ahead,' said he.

And what brought you back?‘ Looking behind,' said he.” ― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Hobbit

Paper from a Book for the 50th Anniversary in 2015 – “The Politics of Aid”.

Book is thematic but this session will be more chronological loosely around four themes

The changing nature of aid and development

The changing nature of NGOs

Relations with government.

How does a peak body like ACFID respond to an increasingly diverse constituency,

The Early Years 1960s-1970s

First Development decade - one of hope.

WCC and the 1% campaign in 1958 adopted by UN in 1960 (became 0.7% in 1970 with FDI dropped from it);

Global Freedom From Hunger Campaign (1962) shifted NGOs and public awareness;

NGOs recognised as development actors by the UN in 1963;

Social Justice Movement (Catholic and WCC) SDAPAX led to AWD

ACFID proposed in 1963 founded in 1965.

1960s-1970s contd

Govt relations weak in the 1960s (Vietnam Project);

A more radical agenda in the 1970s (failure of first Development Decade) social justice and liberation movement supported; Global Education the priority. Public funding high.

Whitlam govt introduced government funding as a subsidy but remained at a low level; Harries report (1979) dismissive of NGOs

Much shouting but little listening – division within NGO community about the ‘radical’ agenda –Tasmania Summer School of 1976 last hurrah

The 1980s: a closer engagement with Government 1979 Cambodian crisis and large appeal brought

NGOs into spotlight and gave govt ‘access’ to Cambodia;

1983 change of government led to massive increase of aid to NGOs, and into bilateral programs;

Code of Ethics 1986-1989;

Start of large Campaigns One World or None

1990-2000s a New Set of Challenges

Biting the hand that feeds;

Criticising government publically – High Court Case on tax deductabiilty, gag orders in contracts, ACNC response;

Criticising government privately – letter to submission to DAC Committee in 2004 resulted in a ‘dressing down’. Similar in Canada in early 1990s;

Too Close for Comfort (‘Dependency’ on govt funding);

Drop in govt funding to NGOs 1990-2010 (as % aid program); increase in public funding.

Vagaries of political cycle Domestic peaks defunded 2000-2002; CCIC (Canada) and CID (NZ) both defunded in 2010s

Challenges for Future

Large and Small NGOs – whose voice?;

Government argues that 10 largest NGOs represent 80-90% NGO public funding so they should be listened to;

ACFID argues diversity of sector improves the quality of advice e.g. disability pushed by smaller niche NGOs; likewise environment, and HIV/AIDS;

NGOs are more globalised

The Future

Participatory democracy not in favour - new

corporatism globally,

Poor people in middle income countries

pressure on NGOs on advocacy, becomes more

general; partners are squeezed;

Government funding of NGOs will fall as bilateral

relations take precedence and the role of new

donors (e.g China);

New NGOs and new media (24 hr news cycle)

dispersal of messages;

Thank You