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Aid & development links: Pre-budget roundup

Aid & development links: Pre-budget roundup
Published 11 May 2015   Follow @StephieDunstan

On the eve of the 2015-16 Federal Budget, a special edition of Aid & Development Links rounding up commentary on Australia's aid budget.  A reminder that if you have something to contribute to these weekly links, suggestions and comments are welcome. Email: sdunstan@lowyinstitute.org.

  • Child Fund Australia CEO Nigel Spence warns in the SMH that aid cuts will hit vital projects for children in 13 countries.
  • Budget cuts mean that vital training for health workers, sight-saving operations and improved vision for children will not go ahead, say Vision 20 20 members (which includes Fred Hollows Foundation, Royal Australiasian College of Surgeons and more).
  • The speculated budget cuts to Indonesian aid aren't worrying the Indonesian Foreign Minister
  • But the projected cuts will hit projects in Cambodia and Nepal.
  • News that Julie Bishop  has been practising the powers of Elsa, heroine of the hit children’s movie Frozen, to protect her portfolio from cuts in tomorrow’s Budget.
  • In the lead up to the budget, NGO's have been taking a media offensive. Read Ashlee Betterridge's round up of their media blitz.  
  • Before the budget is announced tomorrow evening, it's worth re-reading ACFID's submission to the 2015-2016 Budget, or their more recent press release. Also good is Robin Davies February post predicting the nature of the aid cuts; 
  • On Wednesday 13 May, Stephen Howes, Anthony Swan and CEO of CARE Australia Dr Julia Newton-Howes will unpack the budget implications for Australian aid at at special ANU event from 9am. See website for live streaming details.
  • And finally,  if you haven't already watched, Charlie Pickering's clever satirical take on the state of Australian aid for ABC's The Weekly.


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