Government decisions on aid become ever more murky
Government decisions on aid become ever more
murky
The recently appointed
panel to determine how grassroots aid funding will be spent
is being criticised as poorly qualified and politically
driven.
Criticism of the three-member
panel comes from a newly formed international development
think-tank called NZ Aid and Development Dialogues (NZADDS).
Minister of Foreign Affairs Murray McCully scrapped the
previous funding mechanism for New Zealand-based NGOs
working in international development in April 2010.
“It is ironic that the Minister
scrapped a transparent, well-functioning scheme, saying he
would put in place a programme with clear objectives and
transparent administration. Instead, we now have three
people making decisions as to how over $20 million in aid
funding a year will be spent, but they have no understanding
of how NGOs work with poor communities, or how to best
measure this work,” said NZADDs spokesperson Jo Spratt.
“Far from putting in place a new
scheme that provides clarity and transparency, the new
Sustainable Development Fund for NGOs’ programmes in
developing countries has caused great confusion. We have
already observed obscure funding decisions and there has
been disruption to NGOs’ work with very poor communities
overseas,” she added.
The panel
members are National Party MP John Hayes, a National Party
lawyer, Peter Kiely, and the for Rugby New Zealand 2011, the
Chief Operating Officer for Rugby NZ 2011 Limited, Therese
Walshe. None has worked in international development
programmes but they certainly all appear to be closely
associated with the Minister.
“These appointments are the latest strike in
the continuing destruction of what was previously a
world-class, fair and open funding scheme for NZ-based
Non-Government Organisations working to assist poor
communities in developing countries,” said Ms Spratt.
“This funding scheme exists so that
New Zealand organisations can work with poor communities in
difficult circumstances to expand their economic
opportunities and to improve health and education. It
requires open and clear decisions that are made by
professionals who understand the complexities of
international development. The members on the selection
panel, while qualified in their own areas, are not
experienced development practitioners and they are at risk
of simply carrying out the Minister’s demands. It is
essential that New Zealand remains transparent in its aid
spending, and these appointments are not contributing to
such transparency,” said Ms Spratt.
ENDS