Good Will Hunters: Recent Episodes
Good Will Hunters
Join us as Rachel Mason Nunn explores the nuanced world of international development by talking to experts and game-changers whose voices and work are critical to radically transforming the sector and our communities for the better. Listen in and be prepared to hear from incredible people who push us to rethink international development, and how we can create meaningful and long-lasting change.
Welcome to this series of Good Will Hunters, co-hosted by Paul Ronalds, CEO of Save the Children Global Ventures, and me — Rachel Nunn, Founder of Good Will Hunters and Evoluta. You’ll hear Paul and I introduce ourselves properly in just a moment. Before we begin, I’d like to acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of the land on which I record these episodes — the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation — and pay my respects to Elders past, present and emerging.In this fifth episode of the series, we look at technology and its uses in the for-purpose sector. And who better to talk to than David Spriggs, CEO of InfoXChange, an organisation focused on technology for social justice. Keen listeners will recall David has been on the show before. In this episode, we delve into the challenges and opportunities facing the for-purpose sector, across AI, data, and cybersecurity and we talk about the importance of investing in digital transformation. Enjoy the episode.
Welcome to this series of Good Will Hunters, co-hosted by Paul Ronalds, CEO of Save the Children Global Ventures, and me — Rachel Nunn, Founder of Good Will Hunters and Evoluta. You’ll hear Paul and I introduce ourselves properly in just a moment. Before we begin, I’d like to acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of the land on which I record these episodes — the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation — and pay my respects to Elders past, present and emerging.In this fourth episode of the series, we look at philanthropy. We have two industry leaders — John McLeod, co-founder of the JB Were Philanthropic Services team and one of Australia’s foremost experts on trends in giving, and Melissa Smith, founder of She Gives, a philanthropic platform redefining how women engage with giving. First up you’ll hear John, and then you’ll hear Melissa. We’ve also added a few links to the show notes so you can learn more about the work of both guests.https://www.jbwere.com.au/campaigns/jbwere-nab-charitable-giving-index-https://shegives.com.au/story/melissa-smith-on-the-power-of-stories-and-simple-acts/
Welcome to this series of Good Will Hunters, co-hosted by Paul Ronalds, CEO of Save the Children Global Ventures, and me — Rachel Nunn, Founder of Good Will Hunters and Evoluta. You’ll hear Paul and I introduce ourselves properly in just a moment.I’d like to acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of the land on which I record these episodes — the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation — and pay my respects to Elders past, present and emerging.In this third episode of the series, we’re joined by Grant McCabe, Managing Partner for Boston Consulting Group iN Australia and New Zealand, and President of the Geelong Cats Football Club. Paul, Grant and I talk about people - how to build and inspire great teams and what principles underpin effective leadership in the for-purpose sectorJim Collins Leadership Theory: https://www.ft.com/content/fe2649df-fa54-4fe6-a925-f9e3a2559e27
Welcome to this new series of Good Will Hunters, co-hosted by Paul Ronalds, CEO of Save the Children Global Ventures, and me — Rachel Nunn, Founder of Good Will Hunters and Evoluta. Before we begin, I’d like to acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of the land on which I record these episodes — the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation — and pay my respects to Elders past, present and emerging.In this second episode of the series, we’re joined by the excellent Liv Whitty, CEO of Oho — a compliance automation and safeguarding platform designed for the care sector. Oho scans employee credentials continuously, helping organisations stay on top of Working With Children Checks, Police Checks, and other compliance measures — and closing the information and system gaps that bad actors can exploit.But this is a conversation about business models in the for-purpose space. Oho ultimately chose a for-profit structure — but they could just as easily have gone down the not-for-profit route. In this episode, we unpack how that decision was made, and how you can approach the same question in your own work: What structure best supports your mission?For Oho, the decision came down to the nature of the mission — preventing abuse by enabling mass adoption of a safeguarding tool. To reach the scale required, the team needed access to capital and fast product uptake, and a for-profit structure felt like the right path.
Welcome to this new series of Good Will Hunters, hosted by Paul Ronalds, CEO of Save the Children Global Ventures, and myself — Rachel Nunn, Founder of Good Will Hunters and Founder of Evoluta. You’ll hear Paul and I introduce ourselves again shortly, and share a bit about why we’ve chosen to do this short series on the for-purpose sector.Before we get into the episode, I’d like to acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of the land on which I record these episodes — the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation — and pay my respects to Elders past, present and emerging.In this first episode of the series, we’re joined by Dr Andrew Leigh, Assistant Minister for Productivity, Competition, Charities and Treasury.Productivity is front and centre for this government — from boosting skills to mainstreaming artificial intelligence in the way we work. But what does a more productive charity sector look like? In this episode, we talk about the government’s role in supporting and sustaining the sector — and they’re a pretty important player, not least because 50% of the charity sector’s income comes from government.We dive into the role of AI in boosting productivity, the government’s plan to double philanthropy by 2030, and why the voice of the charity sector is more important than ever.I’d personally like to see a dedicated productivity agenda for the charitable sector — something I’m sure many of you might join me in pushing for.Let’s get into it — and as always, I’d love to hear your thoughts.
Surprise! I’m back with a bonus episode of Good Will Hunters!I’m thrilled to feature Lady Roslyn Morauta in this special wrap-up episode.Lady Roslyn and I spoke yesterday, on December 18, covering some of the major themes from this series: health financing, the health workforce (including community health workers), the work of The Global Fund, Australia’s role in global health, and more. Most importantly, I asked her the big question: What should we do over the next five years? With little hope of achieving the SDG3 targets if we continue with business as usual, her insights are more critical than ever.Lady Roslyn needs no introduction, but for context, she is the Chair of the Board of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, a role she assumed in May 2023.She brings deep and multifaceted experience with the Global Fund, having served as Vice-Chair of the Board for four years, represented the Western Pacific Region constituency as Alternate Board Member, and chaired Papua New Guinea’s Country Coordinating Mechanism. She has been a steadfast advocate for health, HIV programs, and gender equity, with a strong understanding of the Global Fund’s strategies, processes, and grant implementation at the country level.Lady Roslyn has lived and worked in Papua New Guinea since 1982 and served as the country’s First Lady from 1999 to 2002, during her husband Sir Mekere Morauta’s term as Prime Minister. In addition to her advocacy work, she has an impressive professional background, having worked in publishing in England, taught Politics at the University of Ghana, the Australian National University, and Queensland University, and held research roles with the Defence Department in Canberra and the Australian Social Welfare Commission.Enjoy this special bonus episode, and I wish you all a very happy and safe festive season!
Welcome to Episode 8 of Good Will Hunters in our series on SDG3 – Good Health and Wellbeing. I am your host, Rachel Nunn.This episode is the final in our series and focuses on SDG3.9 – Substantially reducing the number of deaths and illnesses caused by hazardous chemicals, air, water, and soil pollution and contamination. Poor air quality remains a significant health challenge, especially in low- and middle-income countries, where pollution disproportionately impacts vulnerable populations.Today, I’m joined by three exceptional guests: Professor Lidia Morawska, a leading expert on air quality and its health impacts; Dr. Bronwyn King, a globally recognized radiation oncologist and tobacco-free investment advocate; and Anna-Maria Arabia, Chief Executive of the Australian Academy of Science: Dr. Bronwyn King AO – Dr. King is a radiation oncologist and the founder and CEO of Tobacco Free Portfolios, recognized for her work in tobacco control and finance reform. She is also an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) for her service to community health. Distinguished Professor Lidia Morawska – Professor Morawska is internationally recognized for her work on air quality and its health impacts. She holds a distinguished professorship, which reflects her contributions to science and public health policy.Anna-Maria Arabia – Anna-Maria is the Chief Executive of the Australian Academy of Science, known for her leadership in advocating for science and research in Australia and globally. Together, we’ll explore the intersection of air quality, public health, and policy, discussing both the challenges and the innovations that can help us achieve cleaner air and healthier lives.Indoor air quality gained significant attention during Covid-19, highlighting a critical gap in Australia’s health policies: we have no mandated standards for indoor air quality. Australians spend 90% of our time indoors, yet there are no regulations governing the quality of the air we breathe. Other countries are doing better in this regard, but many are also doing much worse.As we close this series, I want to thank you for joining me on this exploration of SDG3. Australia's role as a major health donor to the region is crucial, and we need a cohesive plan to measure and report on our contributions to these targets. Strengthening health systems will require sustained investment in the health workforce, culturally sensitive care, road safety, and leveraging our incredible domestic R&D capabilities. And above all, we can’t manage what we don’t measure – tracking our progress is essential if we are to make real strides toward achieving good health and wellbeing for all.It’s been a privilege to host this series, and I hope it’s inspired you to think about the work that lies ahead and how we can collectively drive progress. Thank you for listening, and I hope you enjoy today’s episode.
Today’s episode is on SDG3.8 - Achieve Universal Health Coverage. Universal Health Coverage means ensuring everyone, everywhere, has access to quality essential health care services, medicines and vaccines. It also means ensuring that health expenditure isn’t a large proportion of total household expenditure. Universal Health Coverage encompasses all of the other targets under SDG3. It’s essential - and it’s also a bit of a utopia, if you look at the current state of many health systems around the world.Today’s guest is Australia’s Ambassador for Global Health, Dr Lucas De Toca PSM. Dr de Toca is a medical doctor, adjunct professor in medicine, and public health expert with extensive experience in pandemic response, First Nations health and rural health service delivery. He leads the Global Health Division and the Indo-Pacific Centre for Health Security at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, managing Australia’s relationship with multilateral health organisations and our international development assistance in health.Today we look at Universal Health Coverage and why it’s so hard to attain. We speak about how stretched the health workforce is in the Indo-Pacific region, and why Australia has shifted to a greater investment in primary health care since Covid-19. We speak about why financing health is so difficult for so many countries, and how Australia can leverage our immense domestic health expertise to better support the region. And - Lucas tells us why he thinks he has the best job in the world. Since recording this episode, Lucas has made a number of exciting announcements, including Australia’s new Pacific Climate and Health Resilience Package announced during Cop29, and our new partnership with the World Mosquito Program to support the control of mosquito borne disease in Timor-Leste, Kiribati and Indonesia. Additionally, and very excitingly, Lucas announced $56.8m is going to achieving universal sexual and reproductive health and rights in the Indo-Pacific, to improve access to sexual and replicative health services in Southeast Asia.
Welcome to Episode 6 of Good Will Hunters, in our new series on SDG3 - Good Health and Wellbeing. Today’s episode looks at SDG 3.7 - By 2030, ensure universal access to sexual and reproductive health-care services, including for family planning, information and education, and the integration of reproductive health into national strategies and programmes. Specifically, we’ll be focusing on a new program which I am incredibly excited about - it is the Elimination Partnership in the Indo-Pacific for Cervical Cancer, or EPICC.https://www.sydney.edu.au/news-opinion/news/2023/11/22/australia-takes-epicc-step-to-cervical-cancer-elimination.htmlEPICC is a regional health initiative designed to support countries across the Indo-Pacific region accelerate their journey towards the elimination of cervical cancer, and progress towards achieving the WHO 90/70/90 cervical cancer elimination strategy targets:https://www.who.int/initiatives/cervical-cancer-elimination-initiative
Welcome to Episode 5 of Good Will Hunters, in our new series on SDG 3 - Good Health and Wellbeing.Now firstly - I have to apologise. I promised you an episode on each of the SD3 targets, however we are skipping SDG3.5 on substance abuse. We just couldn’t find a great guest for the episode and the show must go on. However, I am very open to doing the episode at a later date, so if you work in substance abuse internationally, particularly in the Pacific, and would like to chat, get in touch.With that, today we move onto SDG3.6 - which it may surprise you to learn, relates to road accidents. I am speaking to Rob McInerney. Rob is Chief Executive Officer for the International Road Assessment Programme (iRAP), a registered charity with the vision for a world free of high-risk roads. With RAP projects and programmes now active in over 100 countries worldwide, Rob works closely with key development bank, political and technical leaders from each country to build local capacity and deliver large scale and long-term road safety benefits through the provision of safer road infrastructure. Of all our episodes this series, this one surprised me the most. I’ll leave you to find out why. Enjoy!
Welcome to Episode 4 of Good Will Hunters, in our new series on SDG 3 - Good Health and Wellbeing.So far in the series, we’ve looked at maternal and child health and infectious diseases. The response to the series has been enormous - last week I appeared on Radio New Zealand talking about the unacceptably high rates of child mortality in Kiribati. This series was designed to raise attention to the fact that we are not on track to meeting SDG3, and we must take urgent action. Today I am talking to Dr Rosemary Wyber about SDG 3.4, which relates to non-communicable diseases. Non-comunicable diseases, also known as chronic diseases, are not passed from person to person. This includes heart diseases, stroke, cancer, diabetes, and chronic lung disease. For those that follow me on LinkedIn, you would know I have spent a part of this year working in Timor-Leste on strengthening the local cardiology workforce, in response too extremely high rates of rheumatic heart disease. Hence, I wanted to focus today’s episode on heart disease, and who better to speak to than Dr Rosemary Wyber.Rosemary is a General Practitioner, and also holds a Masters of Public Health from the Harvard School of Public Health general practice training in Aboriginal Community Controlled Clinics in the Northern Territory of Australia.Dr Wyber’s doctoral research focused on rheumatic heart disease in Australia and internationally. She was the lead author of the RHD Endgame Strategy to eliminate RHD in Australia. Her postdoctoral research continues to address RHD and broader heart health for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. In this episode, we talk about what rheumatic heart disease is, how it is managed, and how health systems can better address it.
Welcome to Episode 3 of Good Will Hunters, in our new series on SDG 3 - Good Health and Wellbeing.In our previous episode, we looked at infant and child mortality in Kiribati. The wonderful folks at the Devpolicy Blog published an article on the episode if you’d like to check it out.If you’ve listened to our first two episodes, you’ve probably seen a theme beginning to emerge. We are, in no way, shape or form, on track to achieving SDG3. We are falling behind on all targets, and many of our neighbours in the Indo-Pacific region are feeling it most. We should be concerned. But we should also be encouraged by the immense capability that exists, both in Australia and amongst our neighbours, to solve many of the public health challenges we face. Today’s guest is a great example of someone with extraordinary vision and capability. In this episode, I speak to Professor Brendan Crabb, Director and CEO of the Burnet Institute, about SDG3.3, on ending epidemics of infectious diseases. In this episode we talk about malaria, tuberculosis, HIV, neglected tropical diseases AND covid-19. We also talk about Australia’s support for the region and leveraging our immense resources in health research and development. As well as being Director and CEO of Burnet, Brendan is President of both the Australian Global Health Alliance and the Pacific Friends of Global Health, bodies that advocate for better health equity.
Welcome to Episode 2 of our SDG3 series.In this series, we’ll be going through each of the targets of SDG3. In our previous episode, we looked at maternal mortality, and specifically some exciting work happening right here in Australia to developed inhaled oxytocin, to help prevent postpartum hemorraghe, which is one of the leading causes of maternal death. We also heard about the importance of connectivity and support networks for nurses and health workers in remote areas, dealing with often complex pregnancies and births. Today we move onto SDG3.2, which is ‘by 2030, end preventable deaths of newborns and children under 5 years of age, with all countries aiming to reduce neonatal mortality to at least as low as 12 per 1,000 live births and under-5 mortality to at least as low as 25 per 1,000 live births'. Today’s episode is very special - you’ll be hearing from the Kiribati’s Honourable Minister for Health and Medical Services, Dr Tinte Itinteang, along with members of his team and partners. Kiribati has one of the highest rates of Under 5 Mortality in the Pacific, second to Papua New Guinea. Despite decades of programs and partnerships, the dial has not shifted enough. The Honourable Minister and his team are embarking upon a new program - it is the Child Community Nursing Outreach Program or CCNOP. It’s a first of its kind program in Kiribati - and that’s all I’m going to tell you. You’ll have to listen to hear more. You’ll hear lots of different people speaking in this interview, I have listed all of their names in the show notes. This interview left me both saddened by the unacceptably high rates of child and infant mortality in Kiribati, but also extremely buoyed by the skill, passion and vision of the team who I had the honour of speaking to.The first voice you’ll hear is that of the Honourable Minister - I hope you enjoy. Following the Honourable Minister, you will hear from Sister Christine Otai. Christine is Adara’s Senior Newborn Advisor, based in Uganda. She contributes to the improvement of newborn health in Uganda through training, mentoring and coaching.Christine worked at Kiwoko Hospital for 28 years. For nine of these years, she worked as In-Charge of the Kiwoko Hospital maternity ward. For 18 years she worked as In-Charge of the Kiwoko neonatal intensive care unit (NICU).In 2010, Christine was honoured with the International Neonatal Award for Excellence. In 2021, she received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Heroes in Health Awards. She has also been recognised as a newborn health champion by the Ugandan Ministry of Health.
SDG3.1 - Reducing Maternal Mortality, with Prof. Michelle McIntosh and Cherolyn Polomon by Good Will Hunters
This 10th and final episode of A little Less Conversation is one that is both reflective and future facing. If you’re looking to know more about the outcomes achieved at COP28, the architecture of the loss and damage fund and Australia’s climate finance ambitions and commitments more generally, you’ve come to the right place. Jess Mackenzie chats with David Higgins, the branch head of international net zero pathways, within the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW). Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water - Home - DCCEEWDepartment of Foreign Affairs - Homepage | Australian Government Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (dfat.gov.au)Transitional Committee, UNFCCC - Transitional Committee | UNFCCCWorld bank - World Bank Group - International Development, Poverty, & SustainabilityCOP28 - COP28 UAE - United Nations Climate Change ConferenceUNFCCC - UNFCCCThe Pacific Resilience Facility - PRF-Brochure.pdf (forumsec.org)International Monetary Fund - International Monetary Fund - IMFAOSIS: Alliance of Small island States - AOSIS – Alliance of Small Island StatesSouth Pacific Regional Environment Program (SPREP) - Home | Pacific Environment (sprep.org)Green Climate Fund (GCF) - Homepage | Green Climate FundInternational Development Association (IDA) - International Development Association - World BankThe Pacific island Forum (PIF) - The Pacific Islands Forum – Pacific Islands Forum (forumsec.org)
Climate change is impacting society in a myriad of ways, yet some groups are experiencing these impacts disproportionately. In this episode we take a deep dive into gender, youth and elders in the Pacific; How are they experiencing climate change? What are their priorities? and What does effective climate leadership look like? In this episode, we are joined by Carolyn Kitione, a youth leader and learning coordinator with Shifting the Power Coalition. Shifting the Power Coalition - Shifting the Power Coalition - ActionAid AustraliaTranscend Oceania - Transcend Oceania – There is no other way to peace Justpeace is the way Action Aid Vanuatu - ActionAid Vanuatu - ActionAid AustraliaAustralia Pacific Climate Partnership - Pacific regional – climate change and resilience | Australian Government Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (dfat.gov.au)Pacific Conference of Churches - Home - Pacific Conference of Churches
In a short time in the federal Parliament, Senator David Pocock has made a name for himself as someone willing to speak out on the big issues on behalf of the people most affected. These include taking on the Government over fossil fuels, climate change and other issues including cost of living. In this episode of A Little Less Conversation, Rachel and Dermot chat to Senator Pocock about his advocacy on climate change and his profound commitment to the Pacific, how his experiences through professional sport helped shape his worldview, and his own NGO, Rangelands Regeneration. https://www.davidpocock.com.au/Rangelands Regeneration https://rangelandsregeneration.org/Young people Duty of Care bill https://adutyofcare.davidpocock.com.au/Australia Institute speech https://australiainstitute.org.au/post/australia-must-lead-the-world-on-climate-integrity-senator-david-pocock/Port vila call https://fossilfueltreaty.org/port-vila-call
Climate change could be a political football, easily booted from agency to agency, if there was no true will to progress the agenda. It is true that climate falls under the remit of a number of government agencies – but thankfully, there is the will to ensure it is divided up carefully and with thought. Howard Bamsey, who has spent much of his career as a diplomat and in climate change, joins the podcast to tell Rachel and Dermot all about the architecture of climate governance.
Adaptation and mitigation are two terms commonly used in connection with how to approach responses to climate change: do we spend our energies trying to address the root causes of climate change, or do we work on strategies to help us adapt? In this episode, Sala George Carter of the Australian National University and climate change activist Lisa Viliamu Jameson join us to discuss the twin approaches. Torres Strait Islands Our Islands Our Home campaign: https://ourislandsourhome.com.au Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environmental Program https://www.sprep.org CROP program - Council of Regional Organisations of the Pacific https://www.forumsec.org/council-of-regional-organisations-of-the-pacific Port Vila Declaration on human rights, good governance and sustainable development: https://hrsd.spc.int/node/821
Have you heard about sea grapes? They're a form of edible seaweed found in parts of the Pacific. They're nutritious, particularly for maternal health, and delicious. And they fetch a great price at market. They're sometimes even known as the next superfood. What makes sea grapes particularly interesting to us is the sustainability element: growing them depends on the sustainable development of nearby mangroves. And this is where Nature Based Solutions comes in. Nature based solutions present an effective way to handle the impact of climate change, such as planting mangroves or regenerating coral reefs. In particular, it is something beneficial to women in affected communities. For episode 5 of A Little Less Conversation, we speak with ActionAid Vanuatu Country Manager Flora Vano, and WWF Australia's Head of Social Development, Nat Burke.A Little Less Conversation is a podcast series brought to you by @WWF Australia, @Australian Council For International Development and @Goodwill Hunters. It is hosted by @Rachel Mason Nunn, @Dermot O'Gorman and @Jessica Mackenzie. Climate Resilient By Naturehttps://www.climateresilientbynature.com/ More about sea grapes:https://www.abc.net.au/pacific/programs/pacificmornings/pacific-sea-grapes/11881944
Australia made headlines earlier in 2023 with the announcement it was rejoining the Green Climate Fund, reviving interest in the fund.It is the world's largest climate fund, and aims to give a boost to transformative climate action in the form of grants to affected nations.It has attracted its fair share of criticism, particularly over lengthy delays in actually getting money to where it is needed.In this episode, the GCF's deputy executive director Henry Gonzalez details how the fund functions and what its priority areas are, from replenishment cycles to program readiness grants.https://www.greenclimate.fund/
Loss and damage has quickly emerged as a key theme of COP28, with the news ahead of the summit that rich countries would set up a loss and damage fund, as promised last year. So what is loss and damage, and how has it become the latest frontier in the fight against climate change? Two loss and damage experts join us on this episode to explain more: Julie-Ann Richards, who is the strategy lead for the Loss and Damage Coalition; and Dr Melanie Pill, with the Lowy Insitute. https://www.lowyinstitute.org/the-interpreter/contributors/articles/melanie-pill(links). Loss and Damage Transitional Committee - https://unfccc.int/process-and-meetings/bodies/constituted-bodies/transitional-committee Green Climate Fund: https://www.greenclimate.fund/ Pacific Resilience Facility: https://www.forumsec.org/prf/ EU Solidarity Fund: https://www.europarl.europa.eu/factsheets/en/sheet/97/the-solidarity-fund#:~:text=The%20Solidarity%20Fund%20is%20the%20main%20EU%20instrument,a%20flood%2C%20forest%20fire%2C%20earthquake%2C%20storm%20or%20drought. Tuvalu Australia agreement: https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/nov/10/tuvalu-residency-and-security-treaty-what-is-it-and-why-is-australia-doing-it
Australia’s Climate Ambassador Kristen Tilley has been in the job for just over a year, and in that time has worked to drive Australia’s climate ambitions, whether in decarbonising or ambitions to become a renewable energy superpower. She speaks with Jessica Mackenzie and Dermot O’Gorman about harnessing foreign policy, trade and development policies to drive climate outcomes interntionally.Ambassador Kristen Tilley: https://twitter.com/AusAmbClimate?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor New international development policy: https://www.dfat.gov.au/development/new-international-development-policy#:~:text=New%20International%20Development%20Policy%201%20Themes%20Among%20its,...%204%20Public%20submissions%20...%205%20Consultations%20 Port Vila Call for a Just Transition to a Fosool Fuel Free Pacific: https://fossilfueltreaty.org/port-vila-call UNFCCC National Adaptation Plan: https://unfccc.int/files/adaptation/application/pdf/nap_booklet.pdf#:~:text=Adapting%20to%20climate%20change%20is%20becoming%20a%20routine,developed%20countries%20%28LDCs%29%20and%20other%20developing%20coun-%20tries. Bootless Bay mangrove regeneration: https://www.nature.org/en-us/magazine/magazine-articles/papua-new-guinea-mangrove-forests-economic-opportunity/ PIF Leaders Forum 2023 Communique and outcomes: https://www.forumsec.org/2023/11/09/reports-piflm52-communique-of-the-52nd-pacific-islands-leaders-forum-2023/
A Little Less Conversation is a podcast series bringing together ACFID, Good Will Hunters and WWF Australia to discuss how to drive action on climate change through an international development and policy lens.In this episode, we discuss what’s coming up in the series: who we’ll be talking with, what we’ll be talking about, and why we’ve chosen this topic at this time. We’re releasing this in the lead up to COP28 https://www.cop28.com, and just after the most recent PIF leaders meeting https://piflm52.com.Our last series with WWF Australia was in 2021, and you can listen here: https://goodwillhunterspodcast.com.au/episodes/promo-launching-our-spring-series-with-wwf-australia/And our last series with ACFID was earlier in 2023; listen here: https://goodwillhunterspodcast.com.au/episodes/episode-1-the-youth-bulge-with-thenu-herath-ceo-oaktree/
Good Will Hunters, ACFID and WWF Australia present 'A Little Less Conversation, A Little More Climate Action". We'll be bringing you a series of conversations on the focus on climate in Australia's international development program. Make sure you subscribe, episodes drop soon!
It's here! Join Jess and Rachel as they sit down to discuss the New International Development Policy.Sources referenced in the show are linked below:DevPolicy Blog: https://www.foreignminister.gov.au/minister/penny-wong/media-release/australias-new-international-development-policy-and-development-finance-review?_gl=1bws6sv_gaNzY1NDkwOTI2LjE2ODc5MjI0NjI._ga_8Z18QMQG8V*MTY5MTQzOTI3NS43LjEuMTY5MTQzOTI4Mi41My4wLjA. ACFID response:https://acfid.asn.au/new-development-policy-reframes-program/ ACFID op ed in The Interpreter responding to the policy: https://www.lowyinstitute.org/the-interpreter/international-development-putting-heart-back-australian-foreign-policy Dr Cam Hill history of aid launcheshttps://devpolicy.org/a-short-history-of-australian-aid-policy-launches-20230728/ The promise of blended finance by Brigid O'Farrell and Purdie Bowdenhttps://devpolicy.org/the-promise-of-blended-finance-as-australia-steps-up-on-climate-20230807/
Australia has a proud history of supporting people affected by crises. It has been a champion for the rights of women and girls, led the charge on disability inclusion, and been a steadfast supporter of disaster affected countries around the world. But as the global humanitarian landscape shifts, Australia must realign its strategy to ensure it continues to reach the people in greatest need. Humanitarian crises are today driven overwhelmingly by conflict and violence, and the persistent gap between needs and funding demands all governments increase their support to better respond to the most pressing global challenges. Right now, the situation on the ground in the humanitarian space is not positive. There are more displaced people than ever, the toll of conflict and violence on civilians is high, and the globe is facing the greatest food crisis in modern history. Needs have escalated dramatically, around 70 per cent over the past three or four years. ACFID's Humanitarian Advisor Natasha Chabbra joins Jess to give a picture of how targeted humanitarian action helps those most in need.
Australia is recognising the importance and relevance of Southeast Asia, with a DFAT Office of Southeast Asia and a standalone Southeast Asia Economic Strategy in the works. ODA reflects this region as a priority, with an additional $470m announced in the October 2022 budget for it. But beyond dollars, there are some very real and practical ways of engaging with Southeast Asia. Sandra Hamid, who is based in Jakarta, served as the Indonesian country representative to The Asia Foundation. She says that engaging with and promoting civil society is absolutely key. She also points out that Australia can, and should, harness the skills and knowledge of locally-employed staff in its embassies and high commissions in Asia. Sandra speaks with Rachel in the penultimate episode of Reimagining Development about why Australia has a pivotal role to play in harnessing civil society, particularly in Indonesia.
The private sector is increasingly becoming a player in the development space. Whether through the provision of grants or becoming directly involved in the provision of essential services or investments in sustainability, the private sector has an increasing interest in stepping into a space that has been traditionally occupied by NGOs. How can for-profits and not-for-profits meet in the middle? Is it always just about the greater good? And how can private or blended finance help us to meet the Sustainable Development Goals? The Australian Sustainable Finance Insitute (ASFI) was set up to help better align finance with development needs and goals. The institute is headed by Kristy Graham, who spent many years at DFAT, and before that AusAID, working primarily in development finance and climate finance. In this episode of 'Reimagining Development', Kristy joins Jess and Rachel to discuss how private finance can be leveraged and delivered to meet development goals. www.asfi.org.au *ASFI was established in 2021. In the podcast, you'll note that we say 'last year'. That's because this was recorded at the tail end of 2022, so isn't quite correct.
In so many ways, New Zealand is nimble, creative and progressive. For that reason, looking across the ditch for ideas and inspiration is of great benefit to Australia - in this case, in how to redesign a development program that is fit for purpose. New Zealand underwent a development program review, and its International Cooperation for Effective Sustainable Development policy came into effect in late 2019, which reaffirmed its primary focus as the Pacific. How did they get there? One person who was intimately involved in the formulation of the policy was John Capper. Formerly of MFAT - New Zealand's office of foreign affairs and trade - John now works in the private sector, at Martin Jenkins. In the latest episode of 'Reimagining Development', John tells Rachel and Jess about the restructure and new policy directions, how Maori culture is informing foreign policy and why, when it comes to creating positive workplace culture, it's all about "the vibe".
Papua New Guinea is one of Australia's closest neighbours, and receives one of the largest shares of our development assistance. It is a country that many Australians have had connections with over the decades - but it still feels far away in the experiences of most of us. It's a shame as PNG is a fascinating history, full of incredibly kind, hospitable and deeply resilient people. As a country it has more than its fair share of problems, including issues around governance, COVID, education and literacy, violence against women and corruption. Maholopa Laveil is an economist and a lecturer in economics at the University of Papua New Guinea, currently in Australia holding the FDC Fellowship at the Lowy Institute. This episode, Maho joins Rachel and Jess to discuss why he's hopful for the future, how PNG and Australia can most effectively collaborate - and why PNG needs a properly conducted census, for once and for all.
2023 holds enormous potential when it comes to Indigenous relations in Australia. With a referendum looming, there are great hopes that the role and status of Indigenous people and knowledge will be elevated significantly. Most of the discussion is focusing on how this will happen domestically, but there are moves afoot to incorporate Indigenous culture into the foreign sphere also. Foreign Minister Penny Wong has asserted taht she wants Australia to move towards a First Nations-led foreign policy, and work towards enacting that is underway. Joe Morrison, CEO of the Indigenous Land and Sea Corporation, has a long background in working in indigenous affairs, and has written extensively on foreign policy. He joins Jess and Rachel to discuss how traditional and cultural perspectives and practices can be used elsewhere, how they can interact with the commercial sector, and just what opportunities exist to boost our indigenous interconnectivity can cross borders and seas. https://www.ilsc.gov.au https://www.firesticks.org.au
New government, new policy directions. Since gaining office, the Albanese Government has signalled that it’s intent on drawing a line and starting afresh. This includes the development space, with not one, but two reviews of policy currently underway, for development and development finance.The Minister for International Development and the Pacific, Minister Pat Conroy, spoke to Rachel and Jess for the second episode of Reimagining Development. In it, he spells out his vision for how the intenational development program can and should evolve: everything from putting people at the heart of development, to how to work with Pacific partners. He also drops hints about how he would like to see DFAT better integrate development practice – and it’s a big one! Tune in for a scintillating listen – one that is in equal parts inspiring and illuminating about our new International Development Minister’s vision for his portfolio.
'Reimagining Development: Conversations on the new development policy' is a joint initiative between Good Will Hunters and the Australian Council for International Development (ACFID), Australia's peak body for the international aid and development sector. It is hosted by Rachel Mason Nunn, founder of GWH, and Jessica Mackenzie, Chief Policy Officer at ACFID. In the first episode of our latest series of Good Will Hunters, the CEO of youth-focused NGO Oaktree, Thenu Herath, tells Jess and Rachel about why young people are special - and need to have special provisions in policy to reflect this. She also tells us about the benefits that young people bring to the table and how Oaktree is working to harness this. "We need to work with the demographic dividend that we have, and with the youth bulge [in the Asia Pacific region],” said Thenu. Is that happening? What needs to change to make it happen? Thenu answers these questions and more. Thenu Herath is the CEO of Oaktree, a non-profit that supports young people champion sustainable development in the Indo-Pacific. Alongside her role at Oaktree, Thenu is also a Global Shaper at the World Economic Forum and was named a YAIA Young Woman to Watch in International Affairs in 2022. She has a degree in politics and international studies and is currently completing her Juris Doctor at the University of Melbourne. https://www.oaktree.org
Welcome to the third episode in our three part-series recorded at OzWater 2022, hosted by Michael Wilson and Rosie Wheen on the ground at the conference, and myself, Rachel Mason Nunn.
These interviews were recorded on Turrbal and Jagera Country. I join with Michael and Rosie in acknowledging the traditional custodians of the land that we record these episodes on. We pay our respects to Turrbal and Jagera elders past, present and emerging.
In this interview you’ll hear from Roch Cheroux, Managing Director of Sydney Water, discussing the SDGs and overcoming our contemporary water challenges; and Brooke O’Donnell, Team Leader, Aboriginal Heritage and Native Title in the Water Corporation, Western Australia, on her introduction to the water sector.
This brings us to the end of our OzWater journey. We’d love to hear your insights, now. Please let us know your thoughts via social media. Enjoy the episode, Rachel
LINKS:
Roch’s Bio: https://www.careers.sydneywater.com.au/t/roch-cheroux Water Corporation, WA: https://www.watercorporation.com.au AWP: https://waterpartnership.org.au WaterAid Australia: https://www.wateraid.org/au/
Welcome to the second in our three part-series recorded at OzWater 2022, hosted by Michael Wilson and Rosie Wheen on the ground at the conference, and myself, Rachel Mason Nunn.
These interviews were recorded on Turrbal and Jagera Country. I join with Michael and Rosie in acknowledging the traditional custodians of the land that we record these episodes on. We pay our respects to Turrbal and Jagera elders past, present and emerging.
In this interview you’ll hear from Beata Sochacka, PhD researcher at the University of Queensland, discussing the importance of urban water management for liveability; Dr Bek Christensen, Program Director, The Peter Cullen Water and Environment Trust, discussing the work of the Trust and the next generation of water leaders; and Kate Maddy, Engagement Lead at Melbourne Metropolitan Urban Water and System Strategy and Lisa Hocking, Policy and Program Manager at Gunaikurnai Land and Waters Aboriginal Corporation, on their partnership and work with communities on water management.
We’ll be back tomorrow with the third instalment in our three part series.
Enjoy the episode, Rachel
LINKS:
Beata Sochacka recent papers: https://acweb.uq.edu.au/profile/231/beata-sochacka The Peter Cullen Trust team: https://www.petercullentrust.org.au/our-people/ Melbourne Water System Strategy: https://www.melbournewater.com.au/about/strategies-and-reports/melbourne-water-system-strategy
Welcome to the first in our three part-series recorded at OzWater 2022, hosted by Michael Wilson and Rosie Wheen on the ground at the conference, and myself, Rachel Mason Nunn.
Michael is Group CEO at eWater and Rosie is CEO of WaterAid Australia.
These interviews were recorded on Turrbal and Jagera Country. I join with Michael and Rosie in acknowledging the traditional custodians of the land that we record these episodes on. We pay our respects to Turrbal and Jagera elders past, present and emerging.
In this interview you’ll hear from Dr. Wade Hadwen, Lecturer in Griffith University’s School of Environment and Science, reminding us of the need for an interdisciplinary response to the water crisis. Then you’ll hear from Corrine Cheeseman, CEO of the Australian Water Association, on the strength of the Australian water sector. Lastly you’ll hear from Katrina Donaghy, CEO of Civic Ledger, on water and blockchain. We’ll be back tomorrow with the second instalment in our three part series. Enjoy the episode, Rachel
LINKS:
Dr Wade Hadwen Bio: https://experts.griffith.edu.au/9756-wade-hadwen Corrine Cheeseman announced as AWA CEO: https://www.awa.asn.au/resources/latest-news/business/workplace/awa-announces-corinne-cheeseman-as-new-ceo Australian Water Association: https://www.awa.asn.au Katrina Donaghy Bio: https://civicledger.com/who-we-are/
I’d like to begin by acknowledging the traditional custodians of the land that I record these episodes on, the Gadigal people of the Eora nations. I pay my respects to their elders past, present and emerging and I extend that respect to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people listening today.
Welcome to the seventh episode in our leadership series of Good Will Hunters.
I have to admit, this series was a bit of a risk. It’s the first series we’ve done without a series partner in two years. I went back to basics and did it all myself - none of the usual help with sourcing guests or designing social media posts or marking up transcripts - it was all me, at home, making it happen and of course working with our brilliant sound editor Bruce Heald from Noise International.
The series was self-funded, because leadership is an issue I personally care so much about and when I came up with the idea for this series, there was no going back. I was completely determined to have conversations on purpose-driven leadership with some outstanding guests. And the risk has paid off - the response to this series has been huge, but it’s also been very personal. I’ve never had so many listeners get in touch to share their own challenges in regards to having a purpose-driven, values-aligned career at the heart of social change and community development.
I know that we’re onto something special here, and I have some big plans for what comes next. But for now, we’ll air the final episode in our first leadership series today, and then we’ll be airing a very special three-part series recorded at the OzWater conference in mid-May. You would remember our water series last year, with our two outstanding hosts Michael Wilson and Rosie Wheen - well, after much demand, they’re back with a three-part series continuing the conversation on Water for Development. Stay tuned for that in the coming fortnight.
Now today’s guest is Peter Chandra. Peter is an experienced Executive Leader and Board Director. I met Peter last year when I undertook my Foundations of Directorship course with the Australian Institute of Company Directors. It was a significant milestone for me personally, because it was the first big investment I’d made in the next stage of my leadership journey. It was daunting, as the average age in the room was probably double my age, and I felt a bit out of place in the boardroom. But Peter was a supportive and insightful facilitator, and we have stayed in touch since.
In this episode, Peter reflects on his leadership journey, and the lessons he’s learnt as a board director, and also as an executive in the development and not for profit sectors. Peter shares his philosophy on aid and empowerment, which aligns closely with my own. I hope you enjoy the episode, with Peter Chandra.
I’d like to begin by acknowledging the traditional custodians of the land that I record these episodes on, the Gadigal people of the Eora nations. I pay my respects to their elders past, present and emerging and I extend that respect to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people listening today.
Welcome to the sixth episode in our leadership series of Good Will Hunters. I’m Rachel Mason Nunn, and I am the Founder and Host of Good Will Hunters.
Today on the show, I speak to Terence Jeyaretnam. Terence is an environmental engineer and Partner at EY in the Climate Change and Sustainability practice, based in Melbourne. He is EY’s national leader for indigenous reconciliation, as well as the D&I leader for EY’s Melbourne office. He has been an integral part of EY’s cultural diversity efforts over the past two years.
Terence is a passionate social justice leader, working with NGOs from Sri Lanka, his place of birth, and also social enterprises in Australia. This is a candid conversation on contemporary leadership.
Enjoy the episode, The GWH Team
Welcome to the fifth episode in our leadership series of Good Will Hunters.
Today’s guest is Peter Varghese AO. Peter would be familiar to many of us who have been working in development and foreign affairs for the better part of the last decade, or longer. Peter has had an extensive career in the public service spanning 38 years. From 2012-2013 he was the Secretary of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (or DFAT), during the period where AusAID was integrated into DFAT.
He was also the High Commissioner to India from 2009 to 2012 and authored the India Economic Strategy to 2035, commissioned by the Australian Prime Minister. I have included Peter’s full bio in the show notes. I actually first met Peter a few years ago in Melbourne during the Australia-India Youth Dialogue where he have a talk alongside the now Australian High Commissioner to India, Barry O’Farrell.
In this episode, we discuss what it was like to lead DFAT during the AusAID Integration, including Peter’s thoughts on why the decision remains controversial. We discuss Australia’s development leadership, including our development policy. And we also look at public sector versus private sector leadership styles during periods of change or crisis. Peter is always insightful and a privilege to learn from. I hope you enjoy the episode.
Full bio:
Peter Varghese began as Chancellor of The University of Queensland on 11 July 2016. Prior to this appointment, Mr Varghese’s extensive career in public service and diplomacy spanned 38 years and included senior positions in foreign affairs, trade policy and intelligence. Most recently, he served as Secretary of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (2012-2016). Previous senior appointments included High Commissioner to India (2009-2012), High Commissioner to Malaysia (2000-2002), Director-General of the Office of National Assessments (2004-2009), and Senior Advisor (International) to the Prime Minister of Australia (2003-2004). Mr Varghese was the author of a comprehensive India Economic Strategy to 2035 commissioned by the Australian Prime Minister and submitted in July 2018. Mr Varghese was educated at The University of Queensland, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts with Honours and a University Medal in history in 1978. He was appointed an Officer in the Order of Australia (AO) in 2010 and received an Honorary Doctorate of Letters from The University of Queensland in 2013. Mr Varghese sits on the boards of CARE Australia and North Queensland Airports and chairs Asialink’s advisory council and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade Editorial Advisory Board. He is also on the international governing board of the Rajaratnum School of International Studies in Singapore. He was awarded the Sir Edward “Weary” Dunlop Asialink Medal in 2019 in recognition of outstanding contributions to improving Australia-Asia relations.
Welcome to the fourth episode in our leadership series of Good Will Hunters. I’m Rachel Mason Nunn, and I am the Founder and Host of Good Will Hunters.
I hope you enjoyed last week’s episode with Giles Gunesekera Once again, the response from all of you was overwhelming, in a great way. I’ve had a lot of listeners get in touch to say this series is really resonating with them. It’s clear many of us find ourselves navigating values-based leadership whilst working in a purpose-driven role.
Today’s guest is the fabulous Melanie Tran. Melanie is a designer, innovator and social entrepreneur. Her work as a User Experience Designer and social entrepreneur has been recognised internationally including being named the winner of the Laureate International Universities Global Here for Good Award 2018. Melanie’s lived experience, developed skills and knowledge allow for her work to span the disability, health and technology sectors. If that’s not impressive enough, Melanie was named in the Top 100 Women of Influence list in 2019 by the Australian Financial Review.
In this episode, Mel and I discuss Mel’s formative experiences as both a woman with a disability and a woman in tech, and how these contributed to her unique capabilities as a leader. We discuss the need for leaders to integrate theory with practice and we discuss how leaders should be constantly questioning why things are the way they are.
I hope you enjoy the episode. Join me next week for the next instalment in our leadership series.
Welcome to the third episode in our leadership series of Good Will Hunters. I’m Rachel Mason Nunn, and I am the Founder and Host of Good Will Hunters.
Your response to our first two episodes has been huge. This topic is clearly resonating with you, and it’s so special to receive messages and emails from many of you about your own experience on your leadership journey. In particular I’ve received messages about the need to invest more in leadership development for young women, particularly young women of colour, and the need for more horizontal networking for aspiring leaders in the development sector. Some thoughts to ponder as you listen to today’s episode.
Today I ‘m speaking to Giles Gunesekera. Like our previous guest, Jacqui De Lacy, Giles has also been on Good Will Hunters before, several years ago now.
Giles is the Founder and CEO of the Global Impact Initiative and he has over 25 years of experience building teams and businesses which solve global challenges.
In this episode, Giles and I discuss the impact of being a first generation migrant in Australia on Gile’s leadership style, encompassing resilience, tenacity and persistence. We talk about diversity and how the aspiration for greater diversity amongst boards isn’t yet translating into the board landscape we see today. And we talk about why your leadership pipeline is as important as your leadership team. This episode contains some really specific skills that we as leaders can look to develop. Like all of the episodes in this series, I hope this is a useful, practical discussion of what it takes to be a remarkable leader in a purpose-driven organisation.
Gile's organisation, the Global Impact Initiative - https://www.globalimpactinitiative.com.au
Enjoy the episode, The GWH Team
Welcome to the second episode in our leadership series of Good Will Hunters. I’m Rachel Mason Nunn, and I have the great joy of stewarding has through these conversations on leadership.
Your response to our first episode was nothing short of incredible. Thank you for listening with such a genuine willingness to reflect on your own leadership, and grow as a leader.
Today I speak to Jacqui De Lacey. Many of you would know Jacqui as the Managing Director of Abt Associates Australia. In this role, Jacqui is on the Boards of Abt Associates Australia and the UK, as well as being on the Board of UNICEF Australia. This is Jacqui’s second appearance on Good Will Hunters. The response to Jacqui’s first episode was huge, and for a long while it was our most downloaded episode ever.
Today, we speak about Jacqui’s experience growing in PNG and how it shaped a love for working in international development. Jacqui’s shares the importance of adaptive leadership and mentoring, and we talked about the human-skills required of authentic leaders, like vulnerability, humility and emotional intelligence. We also discuss diversity and how efforts to promote diversity must be bold and deliberate.
I hope this episode supports your leadership journey. Since announcing this series, a few of you have reached out to me to share your own work in the sphere of leadership, which I’m very grateful for.
I had a great conversation recently, offline, with Susan Pizzati who is doing her PhD on Navigating Complexity and Paradox: Leading Strategic Structural Innovation in the Not for Profit Sector. The research aims to provide valuable insights into the way not for profit leaders are tackling current and emerging challenges, with a focus on the approach to strategic, structural innovation. It was so fascinating to speak with Susan about her research. More about Susan here:
Susan Pizzati spent over a decade working in a range of senior management, executive and board roles in the not-for-profit sector in Australia, before establishing her own consultancy and leadership coaching practice in 2020. She is a certified Workplace and Leadership Coach, as well as holding bachelor’s degrees in Business and Communication; a master degree in Social Investment and Philanthropy; and is currently a PhD candidate at the Centre for Social Impact researching organisational change, complexity and implications for leadership in not-for-profit organisations.
And here are some relevant links:
Centre for Social Impact's Governance for Social Impact Course - https://www.csi.edu.au/education/programs/UNSW/exec-ed/
Institute of Community Directors - https://communitydirectors.com.au/
A great paper on nonprofit boards - https://hbswk.hbs.edu/item/nonprofit-boards-it-is-time-to-lift-your-gaze-and-see-the-system
I’d like to acknowledge the the traditional custodians of the land on which I create Good Will Hunters, the Gadigal people of the Eora nation. I honour their leadership, stewardship and custodianships, and I pay my respects to their elders, past present and emerging.
I’m really excited to be sharing new episodes with you, after a long break for Good Will Hunters. After four years of podcasting and over 140 episodes, I thought it was time to take stock. When I started GWH it was the first podcast airly weekly content dedicated to international development in Australia. And since then, many other incredible podcasts have come online, exploring all facets of the development sector. I’ve linked to some of y favourites in the show notes.
When I considered what’s missing, though, I think it’s deep conversations on what leadership and governance means for international development, right now. As I continue in my own executive journey, I’m increasingly asking myself what does it mean for me to be a leader?
In this series I’ll be asking a range of leaders the same question - what does their leadership mean. What formative experiences shaped their leadership style. And what advice do they have for you and I.
Today’s guest is the formidable Srilatha Batliwala. Srilatha is a feminist activist, researcher and scholar. For a fun fact, we studied at the same college in India, the Tata Institute of Social Sciences. Srilatha has spent the past 45 years working on grassroots movement building in India. She has vast board and leadership experience which you’ll hear about during our conversation. Srilatha and I talk about how she became a vocal advocate for feminist leadership principles, and she shares her very special and personal leadership mantra. We discuss personal transformation and spiritual shifts, and how by looking inward, we become better leaders. And we discuss decolonisation and how international organisations can turn the mirror on themselves and view themselves as sites of change.
With our further ado, here is Srilatha Batliwala.
Hi GWH listeners. We want to introduce you to a new show. It's called The Readout, and it's produced by the Development Intelligence Lab. We've never done this before, but we're simulcasting this six-part series of the Readout right here, where you get GWH. And we're doing this because we think you, our listener, will really love it. Enjoy! – GWH Team.
Welcome to Part Four of our Democracy Series, with Dr Nicola Nixon and Peter Yates (The Asia Foundation).
What exactly does ‘democracy promotion’ mean in real terms? How do practitioners approach the work? And critically – what’s the challenge with adopting a US-style approach to the issue?
Series host Bridi Rice shares her conversations with Nicola and Peter, where she gets stuck into the gnarly issue of being loud about democracy in the region.
Want to learn more? Find our essay publication, including an essay from Nicola and Peter, here.
To learn more about The Readout and the work of the Development Intelligence Lab, head over to devintelligencelab.com and find us on Twitter and LinkedIn.
Happy listening. - The Lab.
Hi GWH listeners. We want to introduce you to a new show. It's called The Readout, and it's produced by the Development Intelligence Lab. We've never done this before, but we're simulcasting this six-part series of the Readout right here, where you get GWH. And we're doing this because we think you, our listener, will really love it. Enjoy! – GWH Team.
Welcome to Part Three of our Democracy Series, with Professor John Blaxland (Australian National University).
So we’ve heard why governance support is critical for prosperity in the region. But just how seriously should Australia take this? According to one of Australia’s top security experts – very.
Series host Bridi Rice shares her conversations with John, where she learns that governance challenges in the region is one of the top threats to our national security.
Want to learn more? Find our essay publication, including an essay from John, here.
To learn more about The Readout and the work of the Development Intelligence Lab, head over to devintelligencelab.com and find us on Twitter and LinkedIn.
Happy listening. - The Lab.
Hi GWH listeners. We want to introduce you to a new show. It's called The Readout, and it's produced by the Development Intelligence Lab. We've never done this before, but we're simulcasting this six-part series of the Readout right here, where you get GWH. And we're doing this because we think you, our listener, will really love it. Enjoy! – GWH Team.
Welcome to Part Two of our Democracy Series, with Serena Sasingian (The Voice, Digicel Foundation).
To learn more about the state of democracy, and what the Summit will mean for the region, let’s start where we should – with a Pacific perspective.
Series host Bridi Rice shares what she’s learnt from her conversations with Serena – including how a particular speech at APEC in 2018 paints an interesting picture for the Summit.
Want to learn more? Find our essay publication, including an essay from Serena, here.
To learn more about The Readout and the work of the Development Intelligence Lab, head over to devintelligencelab.com and find us on Twitter and LinkedIn.
Happy listening. - The Lab.
Hi GWH listeners. We want to introduce you to a new show. It's called The Readout, and it's produced by the Development Intelligence Lab. We've never done this before, but we're simulcasting this six-part series of the Readout right here, where you get GWH. And we're doing this because we think you, our listener, will really love it. Enjoy! – GWH Team.
Welcome to Part One of our Democracy Series, with Richard Maude (Asia Society) and Bryce Wakefield (Australian Institute for International Affairs).
President Biden has just held the first Summit for Democracy. What will it mean for the Indo-Pacific? Before we dive into the complexities for our region, let’s find out what happened at the Summit.
Series host Bridi Rice speaks to Bryce and Richard about Australia’s position as we went into the Summit, what happened, and the commitments made.
Want to learn more? Find our essay publication, including a foreword from Richard Maude, here.
To learn more about The Readout and the work of the Development Intelligence Lab, head over to devintelligencelab.com and find us on Twitter and LinkedIn.
Happy listening. - The Development Intelligence Lab.
What will President Biden’s upcoming Summit for Democracy mean for the Indo-Pacific?
We're excited to introduce you to a new show: The Readout, by the Development Intelligence Lab. The Lab looks at big strategic issues in Australia's development program, and their podcast, The Readout, takes you behind the scenes of their projects.
We've never done this before, but we're simulcasting this series of the Readout right here, where you get the GWH series. And we're doing this because we think you will really love it. Plus, you'll recognise the series host - Bridi Rice - who was our Summer Series host back in 2020.
The debut series of The Readout is looking at President Biden's Summit for Democracy in December, and they're speaking to experts about what that means for development in our region.
President Biden argues that democracy must ‘prove itself,’ reasoning that this will be key to competing with China and Russia. But development experts warn against weaponizing democracy, instead favouring a nuanced investment in governance, service delivery and accountability in developing regions by donors.
Caught amidst the debate are policy-makers unsure where to invest their aid dollar – promote democracy and risk being accused of intervening in the sovereign affairs of another nation, or do nothing and be accused of standing by amidst egregious human rights violations?
Stay tuned to hear what the experts have to say.
Good Will Hunters will be back in April with our new Autumn series.
Welcome to the seventh and final episode in the Spring Season of Good Will Hunters, which asks, Can Australia be a Sustainability Superpower?
WWF has been proud to collaborate with Good Will Hunters on this series, in the lead up to COP26, the UN Climate Change Conference in Glasgow. COP is kicking off on 31 October, just a few days after this episode is released. As we enter COP, we’d love to hear your reflections on the series. You can join the conversation via @goodwillpod or #RegenerateAustralia.
In our final episode, we speak to Minister Dan van Holst Pellekaan, Minister for Energy and Mining in the South Australian Government, as well as Marian Wilkinson, award winning Australian journalist and author of The Carbon Club.
First, you’ll hear us speak to Dan, about South Australia’s policies and investments in renewable energy, then, you’ll hear us speak to Marian, about the current climate politics in Australia and COP26.
As the last in the series as, this conversation picked up an theme across all 7 conservations in this series. Marian is right that to go forward we must leave the ugly past behind. Dan’s bi-partisan description of how his government has built on, and then lifted the previous government renewable energy policy is a great lesson for policy makers - in playing to where the puck is going - that has today positioned South Australia as a national leader in Renewable Energy.
Australia as a country is fast approaching its own “Netflix moment”. Each of the 7 conversations have been clear, if we don’t seize this moment today, we will miss out. This is a once in a century opportunity for Australia to pivot and be a global superpower in sustainability – delivering innovative solutions for both people and planet.
We hope you’ve enjoyed the series, The GWH Team
Welcome to the sixth episode in the Spring Series of Good Will Hunters, which asks, Can Australia be a Sustainability Superpower?
WWF is proud to be collaborating with Good Will Hunters on this series, in the lead up to COP26, the UN Climate Change Conference in Glasgow from 31 October to 12 November. You can join the conversation via @goodwillpod or #RegenerateAustralia.
In this episode, Dermot speaks to three formidable female leaders. Our guests are Cissy Gore-Birch, Sheridan Waitai and Sangeeta Mangubhai.
Cissy is a Jaru/Kiji woman and the Executive Manager Aboriginal Engagement at Bush Heritage Australia.
Sheridan is the Executive Director Strategic Relationships and Innovation at Ngāti Kuri Trust Board. Her tribal affiliations are Ngāti Kuri, Te Rarawa, and Tainui.
Sangeeta is Director of the Wildlife Conservation Society’s Fiji Country Program. She holds a Doctor of Philosophy in coral reef ecology. This episode is a conversation between three passionate leaders on importance of indigenous ecological knowledge, building resilience to climate change, the importance of gender in conservation, and why traditional ecological knowledge must be at the heart of managing country – whether it is in Australia, NZ, or the Pacific.
Enjoy the episode, The GWH Team
Welcome to the fifth episode in the Spring Season of Good Will Hunters, which asks, Can Australia be a Sustainability Superpower?
WWF is proud to be collaborating with Good Will Hunters on this series, in the lead up to COP26, the UN Climate Change Conference in Glasgow from 31 October to 12 November. You can join the conversation via @goodwillpod or #RegenerateAustralia.
In our fifth episode of the series, we speak to James Thornton, CEO of the worlds largest certified travel BCorp, Intrepid Group, and Alice Ruhweza, Regional Director of WWF Africa. We discuss the revival of the tourism industry, following nearly two years of international lockdowns, and how the industry can become more sustainable as travellers return. We discuss the benefits of tourism to local communities, as well as the perils of having an influx of international travellers hopping on long-haul flights and descending on cities and towns - how can we do better? How can we make tourism a force for good, for people and the planet?
Enjoy the episode, The GWH Team
Welcome to Episode 4 of the Spring Series of Good Will Hunters, which asks, Can Australia be a Sustainability Superpower?
WWF is proud to be collaborating with Good Will Hunters on this series, in the lead up to COP26, the UN Climate Change Conference in Glasgow from 31 October to 12 November. The sustainability of our ecosystems, energy networks, food systems and the cities we live in has never been more important. You can join the conversation via @goodwillpod or #RegenerateAustralia.
In our fourth episode of the series, we speak to Andrew “Twiggy” Forrest, Chair and Founder of Fortescue Metals Group and Fortescue Future Industries(FFI), Minderoo Foundation, and Tattarang. You’ll hear us talk about how Fortescue has gone in front of Government policy, to invest in world-leading technological innovations in renewable energy. As Andrew says in the interview, renewable energy isn’t about throwing money at something which you’ll never see a return. It’s about creating a sustainable industry, and a large part of that responsibility falls on the shoulders of the world’s largest energy companies.
We hope you enjoy the episode. Join the conversation via @GoodWillPod and #RegenerateAustralia.
Welcome to Episode 3 of the Spring Series of Good Will Hunters, which asks, Can Australia be a Sustainability Superpower? This series is proudly supported by WWF Australia. Learn more about their work and #RegenerateAustralia via www.wwf.org.au.
In this episode, hosts Dermot O'Gorman and Rachel Mason Nunn speak to Lucy Turnbull and Richard Moore on cities - the urban centres that so many of us live and work in. We consider what it takes to create a sustainable city.
Lucy Turnbull is the Former Chief Commissioner of the Greater Sydney Commission, as well as the first female Lord Mayor of Sydney and former Chair of the Committee for Sydney. Richard Moore is Former Deputy Director General of AusAID and Former Alternate Executive Director on the Board of the Asian Development Bank.
Join the conversation via @GoodWillPod and #RegenerateAustralia. Enjoy the episode, The GWH Team.
Welcome to Episode 2 of the Spring Series of Good Will Hunters, which asks, Can Australia be a Sustainability Superpower?
This series is proudly supported by WWF Australia. Learn more about their work and #RegenerateAustralia via www.wwf.org.au
In this episode, hosts Dermot O'Gorman and Rachel Mason Nunn speak to two food pioneers, Bruce Pascoe, author of Dark Emu and Founder of Black Duck Foods, and Joost Bakker, Founder of Future Food System. We ask, are our current means of food production and consumption sustainable (they're not!) and how can we return to traditional food systems.
Join the conversation via @GoodWillPod and #RegenerateAustralia.
Enjoy the episode, The GWH Team
Welcome to Episode 1 of the Spring Series of Good Will Hunters, which asks, Can Australia be a Sustainability Superpower?
This series is proudly supported by WWF Australia. Learn more about their work and #RegenerateAustralia via https://www.wwf.org.au
In this episode, hosts Dermot O'Gorman and Rachel Mason Nunn speak to two important voices on the climate crisis we face, Victor Steffensen, an Indigenous fire practitioner and author of the groundbreaking book Fire Country, and Lesley Hughes, Australian academic and climate scientist, and former lead author of the IPCC’s 4th and 5th assessment report.
Join the conversation via @GoodWillPod and #RegenerateAustralia.
Enjoy the episode, The GWH Team
We are at a crunch point in the climate crisis. The evidence is clear – world leaders must commit to coordinated action that requires an immediate and rapid shift away from fossil fuels. This will fundamentally change the way the world produces electricity, powers mobility and industry, builds our cities, and produces food for nearly 8 billion people.
In our new Spring season, Good Will Hunters is partnering with WWF-Australia to ask, what will it take for Australia to become a sustainability superpower? We will talk to leaders from the public, private sector and civil society from Australia and our neighbours, engaging with Indigenous leaders, scientists, policymakers and innovators, about where Australia is faltering on the sustainability agenda and what we need to do to lead the region and the world in building a more sustainable future.
At the heart of this series is the future vision for Australia. By not investing in sustainability, are we perpetuating patterns of dependency and insecurity in our region? How much is the development-sustainability nexus becoming central to how we work with our neighbours in the Pacific and Southeast Asia – on achieving a safe and prosperous future? In undergoing this transformation can Australia also become a sustainability and renewable energy exporting superpower?
The future of our planet is at stake. This may just be one of our most important conversations yet.
We hope you can join us for our first episode, airing next week, and join the conversation online @GoodWillPod and @WWF_Australia and #RegenerateAustralia.
Relevant links: https://www.wwf.org.au/
Welcome to the sixth and final episode of our Winter Series on Water for Development, hosted by Michael Wilson and Rosie Wheen. Join Melita Grant and Duncan Green as they discuss what's next for the water crisis.
Melita Grant is a Senior Research Director at the Institute for Sustainable Futures at the University of Technology Sydney. Melita has also spent time working on Integrated Water Resource Management inside the NSW Government. She is a recognised development practice and design expert, with expertise ranging across issues of water for development, trans-boundary water management, gender equality, human rights, and social inclusion.
Duncan Green is a Senior Strategic Advisor for Oxfam, Great Britain, and Professor in Practice in International Development at the London School of Economics and Political Science. He is the author of a seminal work for both activists and practitioners on how to understand and identify opportunities for positive change in international development, called 'How Change Happens', published in 2016.
Relevant Links:
www.wateraid.org.au www.waterpartnership.org.au https://awschool.com.au/presenters/melita-grant/ https://www.lse.ac.uk/international-development/people/duncan-green https://policy-practice.oxfam.org/resources/how-change-happens-consultation-draft-581366/
Enjoy the episode, and connect with us via social media @goodwillpod.
Welcome to the fifth episode of our Winter Series on Water for Development, hosted by Michael Wilson and Rosie Wheen. This episode looks at innovation and market mechanisms, and Indigenous water management.
Karen Milward is a proud Yorta Yorta woman, and a Director of Yarra Valley Water. Karen provides organisations and their people with program design, cultural awareness, organisational development and leadership services and training. Tony Slatyer is an independent consultant on water policy and governance, and was the head of the Water Division in the Australian Government’s Department of Agriculture and Water Resources.
Relevant Links:
www.wateraid.org.au www.waterpartnership.org.au https://www.unwater.org/publication_categories/world-water-development-report/ https://www.karenmilward.com.au http://waterpolicygroup.com
Enjoy the episode, and connect with us via social media @goodwillpod.
Welcome to the fourth episode of our Winter Series on Water for Development, hosted by Michael Wilson and Rosie Wheen. In this episode, we'll be looking at water policy and innovation, as well as domestic water management in Australia. Malcolm Turnbull is the Former Prime Minister of Australia and Former Water Minister. Howard Bamsey is Chair of the Global Water Partnership.
Relevant Links:
www.wateraid.org.au www.waterpartnership.org.au
Enjoy the episode, and connect with us via social media @goodwillpod.
Welcome to the third episode of our Winter Series on Water for Development, hosted by Michael Wilson and Rosie Wheen. In this episode, we'll be looking at the role and importance of water for human development, with Alison Baker and Navara Kiene. Alison is the Fund Manager of Water for Women, and Navara is Director of Programs at WaterAid.
Relevant Links: http://waterforwomenfund.org www.wateraid.org.au www.waterpartnership.org.au
Enjoy the episode, and connect with us via social media @goodwillpod
Welcome to the second episode of our Winter Series on Water for Development, hosted by Michael Wilson and Rosie Wheen.
In this episode, we'll be looking at global leadership on water, with Kevin Rudd, former Prime Minister of Australia, and former Chair of the Global Leadership Council of the Sanitation and Water for All Global Partnership.
Relevant Links:
https://www.sanitationandwaterforall.org https://waterpartnership.org.au https://www.wateraid.org/au/
Enjoy the episode, and connect with us via social media @goodwillpod.
Welcome to the first episode of our Winter Series on Water for Development, hosted by Michael Wilson and Rosie Wheen.
Our first episode looks at the water for development crisis, with two incredible water leaders. The first is Dr Rose Kaggwa, a leader from the National Water Corporation in Uganda. She's joined in this episode by Mina Guli, Founder and CEO of Thirst.
This series is brought to you with support from the Australian Water Partnership (AWP) supported by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. The Australian Water Partnership mobilises' Australia's internationally recognized expertise to drive action towards sustainable water management in our region and beyond.
Relevant Links:
https://waterpartnership.org.au https://www.wateraid.org/au/ https://www.minaguli.com https://iwa-network.org/people/rose-kaggwa/ https://goodwillhunterspodcast.com.au
Enjoy the episode, and connect with us via social media @goodwillpod.
Launching next week, our new winter series will ask how we can better manage #water. Hosted by Michael Wilson of @WaterPartnersAU and Rosie Wheen of @WaterAidAus, join us as we dive in to our global water future at www.goodwillhunterspodcast.com.au
Welcome to our seventh and final episode of the Good Will Hunters Autumn Series: The NGO of the Future.
This series is presented with sponsorship from Alinea Whitelum. Learn more about their work here alineawhitelum.com
In this episode, co-hosts Paul Ronalds and Rachel Mason Nunn speak with Jo Cavanagh and David Crosbie on the challenges and opportunities highlighted in earlier episodes and discuss how NGO leaders can overcome some of the specific barriers to transformation in the NGO sector.
Jo Cavanagh is the Chair of the Good Things Foundation, and was previously CEO of Family Life. Jo is also an adjunct professor at Swinburne University. David Crosbie is CEO of the Community Council of Australia. Previously David was the CEO of the Mental Health Council of Australia, and has served on the Advisory Board of The Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission.
Enjoy the episode, The GWH Team
Welcome to our sixth episode of the Good Will Hunters Autumn Series: The NGO of the Future.
This series is presented with sponsorship from Alinea Whitelum. Learn more about their work here alineawhitelum.com
In this episode, co-hosts Paul Ronalds and Rachel Mason Nunn speak with Lawrence Goldstone and Kristy Muir on the NGO workforce of the future.
Covid-19 has set the pace for fundamental transformations in the way we work. We now require renewed skill sets, organisational structures and talent, and they need to be stronger than ever. Employees need to be agile and flexible, and leaders need to be ready to guide their team through disrupted and unstable times.
Lawrence is a Partner at PwC Australia and leads the firm’s Future of Work agenda. Passionate about distributive models of change and bringing new perspectives to executives and Boards, Lawrence brings 25 years’ local and international experience. Lawrence is also Chair of the Board at OzHarvest, Australia’s largest food rescue organisation, and sits on the Board of ForPurposeCo., as well as advising several start-ups.
Kristy is the CEO of the Centre for Social Impact and a Professor of Social Policy in the Business School at UNSW Sydney. Kristy has worked for three decades with for-purpose organisations and is driven to better understand and find solutions to complex social problems and measure whether and where we are making a difference.
Enjoy the episode, The GWH Team
LINKS https://www.pwc.com.au/futureofwork https://www.pwc.com.au/about-us/social-impact/not-for-profit-ceo-survey.html https://www.pwc.com/gx/en/issues/upskilling/hopes-and-fears.html https://www.pwc.com.au/important-problems/future-of-work-design-for-the-future/changing-places-hybrid-working.html https://www.pwc.com.au/important-problems/upskilling-for-the-future-of-work/upskilling-for-shared-prosperity.html
REFERENCES Jim Collins, Good to Great Berger and Johnson, How to Lead in Times of Complexity
Welcome to our fifth episode of the Good Will Hutners Autumn Series: The NGO of the Future.
This series is presented with sponsorship from Alinea Whitelum. Learn more about their work here alineawhitelum.com
In this episode, hosts Paul Ronalds and Rachel Mason Nunn speak with Pia Carona and David Spriggs on the digital revolution facing NGOs, and the challenge of adapting to a digitalised world.
Pia Carona works at Boston Consulting Group in Africa and is a core member of the firms social impact practice. Prior to joining BCG she worked for a private bank in Geneva, and with Save the Children in Southern Africa. David Spriggs is the CEO of the Australian NGO Infoxchange and Chair of the Australian Digital Inclusion Alliance.
Enjoy the episode, The GWH Team
LINKS https://probonoaustralia.com.au/news/2021/05/the-digital-clock-is-ticking-for-ngos/
Welcome to our fourth episode of the Good Will Hunters Autumn Series: The NGO of the Future.
This series is presented with sponsorship from Alinea Whitelum. Learn more about their work here alineawhitelum.com
In this episode, hosts Paul Ronalds and Rachel Mason Nunn speak with Kevin Starr and Mark Reading on the innovation challenge facing NGOs, and how the NGO of the Future must be much better at taking successful innovations to scale.
Kevin Starr is CEO of the Mulago Foundation, and has taught hundreds of social entrepreneurs and other leaders how to approach impact at scale, and there’s nothing he likes better. Mark Reading is Head of Foundation at Atlassian, where he is the bridge between the Australian technology success-story that is Atlassian, and the charities they choose to support through their Pledge-1% model.
Relevant Links:
https://ssir.org/articles/entry/nowhere_to_grow
Enjoy the episode, The GWH Team
Welcome to our third episode of the Good Will Hunters Autumn Series: The Future of the NGO.
This series is presented with sponsorship from Alinea Whitelum. Learn more about their work here alineawhitelum.com
In this episode, hosts Rachel Mason Nunn and Paul Ronalds speak with Leonie Valentine and Sarah Davies on the future of NGO fundraising.
Leonie Valentine is Managing Director, Google Melbourne and Government, joining Google in 2014 as APAC Director of Customer Experience. Leonie has over 20 years of experience in sales, marketing and operations. Sarah Davies is CEO of the Alannah & Madeline Foundation, and prior to this role was CEO of Philanthropy Australia, the national peak body for philanthropy in Australia.
Enjoy the episode, The GWH Team
LINKS https://www.philanthropy.org.au/stories-moving-the-wealth-from-the-cities-to-the-regions/
Welcome to our second episode of the Good Will Hunters Autumn Series: The Future of the NGO.
This series is presented with sponsorship from Alinea-Whitelum. Learn more about their work here alineawhitelum.com
In this episode, hosts Rachel Mason Nunn and Paul Ronalds speak with Audette Exel and Jo Barraket on the evolution of NGO business models.
Jo Barraket is a University Distinguished Professor and Director of the Centre for Social Impact at Swinburne University. She is one of Australia’s leading researchers of social enterprise and social economy. Audette Exel is the Founder of the Adara Group and CEO of its Australian Financial Services Businesses, Adara Advisors.
Relevant links:
https://www.csi.edu.au https://www.adaragroup.org
Enjoy the episode, The GWH Team
Welcome to our first episode of the Good Will Hunters Autumn Series: The Future of the NGO.
This series is presented with generous sponsorship from Alinea-Whitelum. Learn more about their work here https://alineawhitelum.com
In this episode, hosts Rachel Mason Nunn and Paul Ronalds speak with Anabel Cruz and Andrew Leigh MP on increasing restrictions on civil society. In particular, we ask how do NGOs continue to advocate in an increasingly antagonistic political environment?
Anabel Cruz is the Founder Director of the Communication and Development Institute (ICD) of Uruguay, a civil society organisation with more than 26 years of experience in strengthening civil society and citizen participation. Anabel was also Chair of the Board of CIVICUS. Andrew Leigh is the Shadow Assistant Minister for Treasury and Charities, and Federal Member for Fenner in the ACT. Prior to this, Andrew was a professor of economics at the Australian National University.
Relevant Links:
https://freedomhouse.org/report/freedom-world/2021/democracy-under-siege https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2020/2/18/21112012/liberals-conservatives-american-politics-eitan-hersh https://civilvoices.com.au/ https://probonoaustralia.com.au/news/2017/12/advocacy-threat-nfps-engage-self-silencing/
The episode is presented with support from Alinea-Whitelum.
Enjoy the episode, The GWH Team
Welcome to Good Will Hunters' Autumn Series.
The time has come for NGOs to radically transform.
Major global shifts are underway. Civic space is shrinking and the fundamental tenets of democracy – open, transparent and accountable governance – are under threat. There is growing political antagonism towards advocacy and activism, and increasing restraints face NGOs that seek to hold governments to account. For NGOs, traditional sources of funding are drying up while demand for their services and stakeholder expectations are growing, driving up costs.
Covid-19 has given renewed urgency to the localisation agenda – its no longer a choice, but an operational necessity. New technologies are creating incredible opportunities to increase impact and improve efficiency but also throwing up a raft of new challenges. Our people remain the single most important element of our success but the war for the best talent is heating up. And the workplace of the 21st century is going to look completely different to that of the 20th century.
More people are displaced than ever before. Gender, racial and income inequalities are not just a “developing country” problem but are global challenges facing even the wealthiest countries. Poverty is more urban, and concentrated in some of the fastest growing economies on Earth. And the climate crisis requires us to think radically differently about development.
So what does all this mean? It means NGOs need to transform - and fast - in order to be relevant, sustainable and impactful. And its never been more important to have a thriving civil society. Covid-19 has taken health systems to the brink, disrupted education, destroyed livelihoods and increased instability. We need robust, creative NGOs ready and able to face these challenges.
I’m your host, Paul Ronalds, Group CEO of Save the Children Australia. Along with my co-host Rachel Mason Nunn, we’ll be talking to leading global thinkers on the challenges facing NGOs and what it will take to create the NGO of the future. Join us this Autumn, along with our series partner Alinea-Whitelum, as we confront the existential challenges facing NGOs, and get inspired by the opportunities to transform our organisations to have greater impact than ever before.
Stay tuned to Good Will Media social media pages for launch dates.
In the GWH Summer Series, ACFID’s Bridi Rice takes you inside the Canberra foreign policy community to ask one key question: what does increased poverty mean for Australian international affairs?
In the last of this six-part series, Bridi Rice will be speaking with Serena Sasingian on local leadership and Australian/Papua New Guinean roots.
Serena Sasingian is a lawyer by profession and co-founder of The Voice Inc., a leading youth development organisation she co-founded whilst attending the University of Papua New Guinea. Currently, Serena is CEO of Digicel Foundation, and prior to this, Head of Gender and Leadership Programs with the Oil Search Foundation. Before joining the Foundation, she worked as a senior Policy Lawyer with the Department of Justice and Attorney General where she was in charge of the implementation of domestic violence legislation and the Governments Action Plan to address Sorcery and Witchcraft related violence.
Enjoy the episode, The GWH Team
Instagram: @_goodwillmedia Twitter: @GoodWillMedia LinkedIn: /goodwillmedia Facebook: /goodwillmediacomms Website: goodwillmedia.com.au
Twitter: @ACFID LinkedIn: /acfid Facebook: /acfid Website: acfid.asn.au
In the GWH Summer Series, ACFID’s Bridi Rice takes you inside the Canberra foreign policy community to ask one key question: what does increased poverty mean for Australian international affairs?
In the fifth of this six-part series, Bridi will be chatting with James Gilling about all things localisation, empowering local voices, and the future of Australian development.
James is Head of the Humanitarian, NGOs and Partnerships Division at the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, working to plan, oversee and implement Australia’s $500m commitment to meeting growing global humanitarian needs, as well as manage key partnerships with international and domestic NGOs. With over 30 years’ experience working in international development, James has worked as an economist with Oxford Policy Management, managed DFID’s Natural Resources office in Nigeria and was a researcher with the UK’s Natural Resources Institute. James brings the Department’s expertise at its best.
Enjoy the episode, The GWH Team
Instagram: @_goodwillmedia Twitter: @GoodWillMedia LinkedIn: /goodwillmedia Facebook: /goodwillmediacomms Website: goodwillmedia.com.au
Twitter: @ACFID LinkedIn: /acfid Facebook: /acfid Website: acfid.asn.au
In the GWH Summer Series, ACFID’s Bridi Rice takes you inside the Canberra foreign policy community to ask one key question: what does increased poverty mean for Australian international affairs?
Welcome to Episode 04 of Good Will Hunters’ Summer Series, brought to you by Good Will Media. Today, in the fourth of this six-part series, our host Bridi Rice chats to Melissa Conley Tyler about how researchers and civil society influence foreign policy – and what barriers they face.
Melissa is Research Fellow in the Asia Institute of The University of Melbourne, transferring from her role as Director of Diplomacy at Asialink. She came to the University after serving as National Executive Director of the Australian Institute of International Affairs (AIIA) for 13 years.
In today’s episode, Melissa makes the case for why think tanks and other civil society organisations are critical in bridging the gap between research and policy in international affairs.
Enjoy the episode, The GWH Team
Instagram: @_goodwillmedia Twitter: @GoodWillMedia LinkedIn: /goodwillmedia Facebook: /goodwillmediacomms Website: goodwillmedia.com.au
Twitter: @ACFID LinkedIn: /acfid Facebook: /acfid Website: acfid.asn.au
In the GWH Summer Series, ACFID’s Bridi Rice takes you inside the Canberra foreign policy community to ask one key question: what does increased poverty mean for Australian international affairs?
Welcome to Episode 03 of Good Will Hunters’ Summer Series, brought to you by Good Will Media. Today, in the third of this six-part series, our host Bridi Rice chats to Josie Pagani about how New Zealand walks the talk on development, foreign policy, and working with our Pacific family.
Josie is a communications consultant and political commentator, taking over the Director role at the Council for International Development in June 2016. She has a high-level understanding and experience in the aid and development sector, with her career including working as the communications manager for NZAID, and also for OECD DAC in Paris. Since returning to Wellington from Paris in 2007 Josie has managed a public affairs consultancy with a number of clients both in New Zealand and abroad.
Josie offers an honest insight into the importance of cultural connection and integration, and calls for urgent amplification of Pacific voices to move the development sector towards a relationship of equals.
Enjoy the episode, The GWH Team
Instagram: @_goodwillmedia Twitter: @GoodWillMedia LinkedIn: /goodwillmedia Facebook: /goodwillmediacomms Website: goodwillmedia.com.au
Twitter: @ACFID LinkedIn: /acfid Facebook: /acfid Website: acfid.asn.au
In the GWH Summer Series, ACFID’s Bridi Rice takes you inside the Canberra foreign policy community to ask one key question: what does increased poverty mean for Australian international affairs?
Welcome to Episode 02 of Good Will Hunters’ Summer Series, brought to you by Good Will Media. Today, in the second of this six-part series, our host Bridi Rice chats to Lisa Cornish about how the media shapes our perceptions of aid and development.
Lisa is a freelance data journalist based in Canberra, Australia. Lisa formerly worked with News Corp Australia as a data journalist for the national network and was published throughout Australia in major metropolitan and regional newspapers, including the Daily Telegraph in Melbourne, Herald Sun in Melbourne, Courier-Mail in Brisbane and online through news.com.au. Lisa has recently been awarded the 2014 Journalist of the Year by the New South Wales Institute of Surveyors.
Lisa offers a transparent and candid insight on all things politics and aid, and calls on the Government to step up on data transparency and in its communication of the aid program.
Enjoy the episode, The GWH Team
Instagram: @_goodwillmedia Twitter: @GoodWillMedia LinkedIn: /goodwillmedia Facebook: /goodwillmediacomms Website: goodwillmedia.com.au
Twitter: @ACFID LinkedIn: /acfid Facebook: /acfid Website: acfid.asn.au
In the Good Will Hunters Summer Series, ACFID’s Bridi Rice takes you inside the Canberra foreign policy community to ask one key question: what does increased poverty mean for Australian international affairs?
Welcome to Episode 1 of Good Will Hunters’ Summer Series, brought to you by Good Will Media. Today, in the first of this six-part series, our host Bridi Rice chats to Richard Maude about how foreign policy is made.
Richard is the inaugural Executive Director, Policy, Asia Society Australia, and Senior Fellow, Asia Society Policy Institute – the first senior executive role in the Institute outside the United States. Richard Maude most recently served as Deputy Secretary, Indo-Pacific Group, in the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
Richard’s thoughtful, reflective and honest insights highlight that never has there been a more important time to pause, contest and carefully construct a way forward for Australian development and foreign policy.
Enjoy the episode, The GWH Team
About GWM: Good Will Media advances the fight against all forms of poverty, globally. We believe better communications drives more effective development. We work with leading communications experts from across the Pacific, to create localised, culturally informed content that inspires, empowers and drives action. We are experienced in communicating to people, at a local level, all the way up to a national level. You can work with us to develop and implement a streamlined approach to communications on development projects in Australia, the Pacific and Timor-Leste, and you can trust we will combine international best practice, with unrivalled local knowledge and experience.
Instagram: @_goodwillmedia Twitter: @GoodWillMedia LinkedIn: /goodwillmedia Facebook: /goodwillmediacomms Website: goodwillmedia.com.au
Twitter: @ACFID LinkedIn: /acfid Facebook: /acfid Website: acfid.asn.au
Welcome to Good Will Hunters’ Summer Series. This series is produced by Good Will Media. This series was born out of the realisation of one simple fact: for the first time in a generation - that’s over 20 years - the World Bank predicts a rise in extreme poverty. This is a confronting reality which is hard to imagine. What does it mean for those of us in the development sector, and the broader foreign policy community too?
Our guest host for this six-part series, Bridi Rice, will facilitate conversations with those inside the Canberra foreign policy community - authors, development leaders, the media and even our friends across the ditch to bring you simple insights on development, and the making and shaping of Australian and foreign policy.
Join Bridi this Summer for a great discussion that connects the Canberra bubble to the communities where we work and stay tuned to Good Will Hunters social media pages for launch dates.
Welcome to Episode 103 of Good Will Hunters, brought to you by Good Will Media.
Today I speak to Paul Ronalds, Group CEO of Save the Children Australia, about how NGOs can transform and innovate to meet the growing challenges they face.
Enjoy, The GWH Team
Welcome to Episode 102 of Good Will Hunters brought to you by Good Will Media. Today on the show I’m speaking with Prue Clarke.
Prue Clarke is an award winning journalist, professor and media development specialist.
Since 2004 Prue’s reporting has focused on sub-Saharan Africa where she has uncovered corruption in the mining industry, and child trafficking war in Ghana.Prue is the co-founder of New Narratives, an organisation supporting investigative journalism and independent media houses across Africa by investing in journalists through a multi-year on-the-job mentorship program with senior editors and journalists working for reputable media outlets around the world. In this episode we discuss the intersection of media and development, and how supporting free and open journalism is in the interests of vulnerable communities.
Enjoy the episode, The GWH Team
Welcome to Episode 101 of Good Will Hunters.
Today we’re talking about Kylie Moore-Gilbert. Kylie is an Australian academic currently imprisoned in Iran. In this episode I speak to two of Kylie’s friends and colleagues, Dara and Marika, about Kylie. We discuss her arrest, her transfer to Quarchuck prison after two years of solitary confinement, and the quiet diplomacy versus the more public diplomacy that their campaign to Free Kylie has grappled with.
https://freekylie.net/index.php/blog/
https://www.sbs.com.au/news/before-kylie-moore-gilbert-was-jailed-in-iran-she-was-an-artist-a-scholar-and-a-remarkable-rising-star
I hope you find this discussion insightful, Rachel and the GWH Team
Welcome to Episode 100 of Good Will Hunters brought to you by Good Will Media. This episode really crept up on us - it’s so exciting to reach 100 EPISODE, and if you’re listening to this, and you’re a regular listen, I’d really love you to reach out and introduce yourself if we haven’t already met! I feel as though I know so many of you personally already, but it really would be the most special 100th episode gift if you reached out and shared your thoughts on the show. My email is rachel@goodwillmedia.com.au
As we reach this milestone, I am of course thinking about what comes next for GWH. Do we keep doing what we’re doing, do we change the format - who knows! It’s all ahead of us. In the meantime, after a big budget week and lot’s of aid commentary, I’m really pleased to share this episode with Allan Behm with you.
Allan Behm is head of the international and security affairs program at the Australia Institute. In this episode, we discuss why aid is a human security issue, and the relationship between aid and foreign affairs. Allan is a brilliant thinker, writer and speaker and I thoroughly enjoyed learning from him in this interview.
I hope you enjoy the episode and I’d like to personally thank you all for your continued support of Good Will Hunters.
https://acfid.asn.au/content/oceania-connect-2020
Enjoy the episode, The GWH Team
Budget night episode of Good Will Hunters, with ACFID CEO Marc Purcell. More budget coverage to come.
Welcome to Episode 98 of Good Will Hunters brought to you by Good Will Media. Our guest today is Sofia Shakil.
This is the second in our two part series on the Asia Foundation, so if you haven’t listened to last weeks episode with Sam Chittick, I suggest you do so now.
Sofia is The Asia Foundation’s country representative in Pakistan. She is an experienced policy economist, with nearly 25 years of experience in the development sector, with a focus on human development, public sector policy, and governance reform. She has held several positions with the World Bank, Asian Development Bank, and international NGOs.
In this episode we discuss the development challenges facing Pakistan, including on governance, education and gender equality. In particular we discuss the impact of Australia ending it’s bilateral aid program to Pakistan, and in doing so, withdrawing vital funding for the education of girls. We discuss the impact of Covid-19 on Pakistan’s development, inclluding how the Asia Foundation will continue to partner with the private sector to achieve development outcomes.
Good Wil Hunters is brought to you by Good Will Media, a leading communications agency for the international development sector. Good Will Media exists to advance the fight to end all forms of poverty, globally. We create content that inspires, empowers and drives action, for organisations that share our passion for a more just world.
https://www.goodwillmedia.com.au https://acfid.asn.au/content/oceania-connect-2020 https://twitter.com/RachelMasonNunn
Enjoy the episode, The GWH Team
Welcome to Episode 97 of Good Will Hunters, brought to you by Good Will Media. I’m your host Rachel Mason Nunn.
Today is the first in a two part series with country representatives from the Asia Foundation. In this interview, I speak to Sam Chittick, Country Representative for the Phillipines.
I really enjoyed this discussion for a few reasons. Firstly, Sam and I discuss the role of the private sector in achieving development in the Phillipines, and how dialogues are helping to bridge the gaps between government, private and NGOs. We then discuss the social impacts of Covid-19 in the Phillpines on households that were already experiencing poverty, including the loss of livelihoods and the decision of President Rodrigo Duterte to stop any children going back to school until a vaccine is available. On this note, we discuss the challenges of running an aid program under the Duterte Presidency.
Lastly we discuss the decision made by the Australian Government to scale back our aid investments in much of Asia, and Sam’s view on whether this is in the best interests of the Phillipines or not.
Now before I go, there are two upcoming events I want to tell you about.
The first is the Pawa Liklik NGO Forum which is in two days, on Wednesday 30 September! It is a free event for anyone working in or interested in the development sector, run by my wonderful friends at the Kokoda Track Foundation. It’s not too late to sign up, just visit the link in our show notes.
https://www.pawaliklik.community
The second is the Oceania Connect Conference, hosted by ACFID, in partnership with the New Zealand Council for International Development and the Pacific Islands Associated of Non Gov Organisations, or PIANGO. The conference will be held virtually this year from 27 - 30 October. It is one of my favourites events for our sector each year, and I’m honoured to be hosting a very exciting panel this year which I’ll tell you more about in the coming weeks. Again, you can buy your ticket via the link in our show notes - this one is not to be missed!
https://acfid.asn.au/content/oceania-connect-2020
I’d love to hear your take on the discussion - please visit our social media pages or you can tweet me directly. The links are in the show notes.
www.goodwillmedia.com.au
https://twitter.com/RachelMasonNunn
Enjoy the episode, The GWH Team
Welcome to Episode 96 of Good Will Hunters from the Development Policy Centre.
Before we begin, an announcement. Devpol’s 10th anniversary partnership with Good Will Hunters comes to an end this week. We’re grateful for the crucial support provided by The Development Policy Centre this year, which has enabled us to bring you weekly episodes.
Today on the show I’m speaking to Arieta Rika who is the host of a new podcast titled Vosa, produced by Good Will Media and proudly supported by The World Bank. The series looks at the big ideas and challenges that are facing the Pacific and PNG.
Arieta has over 10 years experience in social impact and non-profit communications across Australia and the Pacific as a writer, cultural advisor, Pacific storyteller, and the Founder of Talanoa, a digital space for Pacific people to share their stories. She also works at Good Will Media, with Rachel.
https://www.goodwillmedia.com.au/ourwork/vosa https://talanoa.com.au https://devpolicy.org
Enjoy the episode, The GWH Team
Welcome to Episode 95 of Good Will Hunters from The Development Policy Centre. In this time of great challenges globally, we need more than ever to listen to the voices of wisdom and compassion. Today on the show I’m speaking to Rev Tim Costello AO, one of Australia’s best-known voices on social justice, and global poverty.
Tim was Chief Executive of World Vision Australia for 13 years and is currently the Executive Director of Micah Australia, as well as Co-Chair of the Charities Crisis Cabinet.
In the episode, Tim reflects on his extensive career, on the role of faith and religion. the future of aid, the impact of Covid, and the recent launch of the End Covid For All Campaign.
To find out more about End Covid for All, and to add your support to this critical campaign, see below:
https://www.endcovidforall.com
Enjoy the episode, The GWH Team
Welcome to Episode 94 of Good Will Hunters from the Development Policy Centre.
Today on the show I’m speaking to academic and author Dr Gordon Peake. Gordon works at the School of Regulation and Global Governance at ANU, on governance and conflict in the Asia-Pacific region. He is an expert on and has lived in Timor-Leste and Papua New Guinea.
Gordon is also a popular author, and his book Beloved Land: Stories, Struggles & Secrets from Timor-Leste was winner of the 2014 ACT Book of the Year & People’s Choice Awards.
In the episode, Gordon reflects on his experiences living and working abroad. He discusses the challenges Timor-Leste has had following independence, the role aid, and lessons for Bougainville.
To hear more from Gordon, attend his upcoming seminar with the Law and Justice Development Community:
https://www.lawjusticedev.net/events
And you can read Gordon's recent articles here:
https://devpolicy.org/the-diabolically-difficult-mid-term-review-20200903-2/
https://devpolicy.org/adventures-in-east-timorese-bureaucracy-20200611/
You can purchase Gordon's book here:
https://www.booktopia.com.au/beloved-land-gordon-peake/book/9781922247308.html
There are some exciting conferences and events coming up this month! Check them out below:
https://acfid.asn.au/content/oceania-connect-2020
https://www.pawaliklik.community
Enjoy the episode, The GWH Team
Welcome to Episode 93 of Good Will Hunters from the Development Policy Centre.
Today’s episode is the second in a two-part series on the World Bank Group, where we speak to the experts leading the Bank’s work in the region. In this episode I speak to Shivnesh Prasad, Digital Development Specialist with the World Bank in Fiji.
Shivnesh has over 15 years of experience in the public sector in Fiji, including as the Director of Communications at the Fijian Ministry of Communications, as well as Chairman of the Telecommunications Authority of Fiji. He has overseen various important initiatives for Government, including the rollout of 4G and now 5G, the installation of submarine cables and more.
So, why is digital development so important to Fiji? Is a true digital revolution occurring? And how will technology change the way Fijians live and work? We discuss all this, and the implications for development, in this episode.
https://devpolicy.org/working-across-nepals-data-ecosystem-as-the-economic-crisis-starts-to-hit-20200420/
https://devpolicy.org/controlling-the-internet-in-fiji-20190121/
https://devpolicy.org/ecommerce-boosts-pacific-exports-20181026/
https://devpolicy.org/the-time-is-right-for-a-step-up-in-abc-broadcasting-to-the-pacific-20180709/
https://devpolicy.org/ict-telecommunications-and-development-in-vanuatu-an-interview-with-fred-samuel-tarisongtamate-20140723/
Enjoy the episode.
Welcome to Episode 92 of Good Will Hunters from the Development Policy Centre.
Today’s episode is the first in a two-part series on the World Bank Group, where we speak to the experts leading the Bank’s work in the region.
In this episode I speak to Dr. Edith Kariko, the Senior Health Specialist with the World Bank in Port Moresby.
Edith is a medical doctor with extensive experience working in health in Papua New Guinea, particularly in remote areas. Edith works closely with PNG's National Department of Health and other central line agencies to support the implementation of health policies that aim to improve and strengthen health service delivery in PNG. Dr Kariko is heavily involved in delivering support to the Government of PNG as part of the World Bank’s US$20 million emergency package for PNG’s COVID-19 response.
In the episode, Edith talks about the state of PNG’s healthcare system, and including how years of neglect have culminated into a broken healthcare system in dire need of repair, and the work Edith and her counterparts are doing to fix it.
We discuss access to contraception, specifically Edith’s work promoting male contraceptive methods in PNG, including the difference between the attitudes of highland and coastal communities on the subject. Of course we also discuss Covid-19 and the support the World Bank is providing to the Government at this time.
https://devpolicy.org/catastrophic-failures-in-png-health-service-delivery-20190404/
http://devpolicy.org/publications/reports/PEPE/Financing-PNGs-free-primary-health-care-policy-user-fees-funding-and-performance.pdf
https://www.worldbank.org/en/news/press-release/2020/04/23/a-100m-investment-in-papua-new-guineans-three-major-new-projects-to-build-pngs-human-capital
Next week you’ll hear from another World Bank expert, this time on the impact of the digital revolution in Fiji.
Enjoy the episode, The GWH Team
Welcome to Episode 91 of Good Will Hunters from the Development Policy Centre.
Today on the show I speak to the Honourable Dame Carol Kidu.
Dame Carol Kidu was a Member of Parliament in PNG from 1997 to 2012, including a stint as Minister for Community Development.
Carol has lived a remarkable life.
At age 19, Carol moved to Papua New Guinea and married Sir Buri Kidu, the man who would become the country’s first Indigenous Chief Justice. Carol and Buri brought up their children in Buri’s village in Port Moresby, where Carol faced a multitude of challenges integrating into traditional village life, but says her unwavering love for Buri and their children, and a very supportive mother in law, got her through.
Following Buri’s untimely death, Carol entered politics, where she remained from 1997 to 2012. For much of this time, Carol was the only female member of Parliament. She was the driving force behind a number of important legislative reforms including the repeal of the colonial Child Welfare Act, changes to the Criminal Code on rape and sexual assault, and new legislation on child sexual abuse and sexual exploitation of children.
In this episode, we discuss the challenges that Papua New Guinean women face in entering politics, and the efforts Carol and others are going to to make sure a woman is elected in the next election. Carol shares many stories of her extraordinary life in Papua New Guinea, all the way up to the work she continues to do today.
https://devpolicy.org/dame-carol-kidu-on-why-things-are-getting-tougher-for-pngs-women-20141029/
https://devpolicy.org/dame-carol-kidu-on-png-women-in-the-21st-century20120315/
http://pameladenoonlecture.net/archives/pamela-denoon-lecture-2012/
Enjoy the episode, The GWH Team
Welcome to Episode 90 of Good Will Hunters from the Development Policy Centre.
Today on the show I speak to Fiona Hukula, Miranda Forsyth, and Philip Gibbs.
Our speakers today are on the front line of the battle against sorcery accusation related violence or SARV in Papua New Guinea.
Dr Fiona Hukula is a Senior Research Fellow at the Papua New Guinea National Research Institute (PNG NRI). Fiona represents the PNG NRI on high level national committees such as the Family and Sexual Violence Action Committee and the National Action Plan against Sorcery Accusation and Related Violence.
Dr Miranda Forsyth is an Associate Professor in the College of Asia and the Pacific at ANU. Miranda is a chief investigator in a major four year project investigating how to best overcome sorcery accusations and related violence in PNG.
Lastly, Dr Philip Gibbs is a Divine Word Missionary priest serving in Papua New Guinea since 1973. Currently he is Vice-President Research and Higher Degrees at Divine Word University, Madang, Papua New Guinea. He is well known for his research and advocacy against sorcery related violence in PNG.
In the episode we unpack the extent of SARV in PNG and the factors that are causing a spike of SARV-related incidents. We then delve into their extensive research on SARV, which will inform the upcoming PNG Sorcery National Action Plan. The topic of sorcery is a contentious one in PNG, and as this episode demonstrates, sorcery related violence is not limited to those with low education levels, or only those in remote areas. Rather, it is a problem which endures for people of all ages, genders, locations and education levels in PNG, and one which may be worsened with the spike in Covid-19 cases. This is an important and at times heavy conversation, and one which will resonate for many of us who have lived or worked in Papua New Guinea.
Fiona, Miranda and Philip have written extensively on the subject of sorcery accusation related violence on the Devpolicy blog.
https://devpolicy.org/escaping-sorcery-accusations-20180702/ https://devpolicy.org/witchcraft-and-human-rights-global-learnings-and-conversations-20190417/ https://devpolicy.org/accessing-justice-police-responses-to-domestic-violence-20181212/
Enjoy, The GWH Team
Welcome to Episode 89 of Good Will Hunters from the Development Policy Centre. Today on the show I speak to Leonard Blazeby.
Leonard is the outgoing Head of Mission for the International Committee of the Red Cross, the ICRC, in Australia. At the end of our interview, you’ll hear about the very big and exciting role that Leonard is taking on next.
Since joining the ICRC in 2000, Leonard has held a variety of positions across Africa, Europe and the Pacific. He worked for eight years in Africa, serving as Deputy Head of Delegation in Southern Africa, legal adviser in Zimbabwe and communications coordinator in the Horn of Africa. He then served in the ICRC’s Geneva headquarters for more than four years. He has been the Australian Head of Mission since 2012.
In the episode Leonard and I discuss Leonard’s distinguished career working with the ICRC in vulnerable communities around the world, the challenges that he’s faced in his work, and how the international humanitarian sector has evolved, or in Leonard’s words, professionalised. We discuss the threat multiplier affect of Covid-19 and the impact its having is on already conflict-affected communities. On a lighter note, we also discuss some of the innovative partnerships the ICRC has entered into, including with the vide game Fortnite.
If you’re interested in today’s podcast, you might also be interested in a new Devpolicy Blog which shows an unprecedented divergence between defence spending and aid spending in Australia.
https://devpolicy.org/defence-and-aid-unprecedented-divergence-20200728/
Stephen Howes, the Devpolicy Director, shows that adjusting for inflation Australian defence spending is projected to grow by 20 billion dollars to 2030, whereas aid spending isn’t projected to grow at all. Given the humanitarian crises and trends we’re seeing all around us, and discussed in today’s episode, that trend may prove problematic. For more, go to devpolicy.org.
Enjoy, The GWH Team
Welcome to Episode 88 of Good Will Hunters from the Development Policy Centre.
Today on the show I speak to Jemma Mackinnon and Kerry McCarthy, about their experience of the Seasonal Worker Programme, as farm owners and managers.
The Seasonal Worker Programme is a scheme that allows Pacific Islanders and Timor-Leste citizens to come to Australia to pick fruit. It’s incredibly popular in the Pacific, and has been growing rapidly reaching above 10,000 workers last year.
Especially in an era of tight aid budgets, looking at alternative ways to partner with the Pacific is key, and labour mobility benefits both Australia and the Pacific.
Jemma is the Human Resources and Seasonal Worker Programme Manager for Mountford Berries in Langford Tasmania. The farm employs approximately 60 seasonal workers from Timor-Leste and Tonga. Kerry is the Co-owner of GraceKate Farms which is located on the Darling Downs in Queensland. The farm has employed workers from Solomon Islands through the Seasonal Worker Programme since 2012.
In the episode Jemma, Kerry, and I discuss the Seasonal Worker Programme and the challenges Covid-19 has posed. We discuss how prior to Covid-19, being selected for the programme felt like winning the lottery for workers from the Pacific, but this year that experience has changed dramatically, as workers have been stranded, in some cases unable to go home and in other cases unable to return to Australia.
We discuss the implications this has for the workers themselves, as well as the growing fear amongst farm owners of having a labour shortage come harvest season, and what can be done.
https://devpolicy.org/why-do-canada-and-germany-allow-in-seasonal-and-other-workers-but-australia-and-new-zealand-do-not-20200724/
https://devpolicy.org/medicare-family-separation-and-temporary-migrants-20200715/
https://devpolicy.org/tag/seasonal-worker-program/
Enjoy the episode, The GWH Team
Welcome to Episode 87 of Good Will Hunters from the Development Policy Centre. Today on the show I speak to Joanna Lindner Pradela.
Joanna is the Director of Knowledge Translation at the International Women’s Development Agency, the IWDA, overseeing research, policy, advocacy and movement strengthening work as well as IWDA’s flagship program to redefine how poverty is measured, Equality Insights.
The IWDA is the leading Australian NGO focused on women's rights and gender equality in Asia Pacific.
In the episode Joanna and I discuss feminist foreign policy, why it has yet to be implemented in Australia, and what an Australian feminist foreign policy might look like. We also discuss the IWDA’s Individual Deprivation Measure , as an innovative gender-sensitive poverty measure.
https://devpolicy.org/a-feminist-foreign-policy-for-australia-establishing-australia-as-a-global-leader-on-gender-equality-20200420/
https://devpolicy.org/gender-in-the-2019-20-australian-aid-budget-20190507/
The Development Policy Centre is running its annual fundraising appeal. The Centre provides critical support to this podcast and of course runs the Devpolicy Blog and undertakes important research around aid and development. If you appreciate this podcast and the Devpolicy blog, please make a tax deductible donation at devpolicy.org/donate.
Enjoy the episode, The GWH Team
Welcome to Episode 86 of Good Will Hunters from the Development Policy Centre. Today on the show I speak to Jacqui De Lacy.
Jacqui is the Managing Director of Abt Associates Australia, one of Australia’s major development contractors. Prior to joining Abt, Jacqui was the head of AusAid in Indonesia, and she’s had a range of other high level roles in the aid program. Jacqui is also on the board of UNICEF Australia.
Jacqui and I discuss the criticisms of facilities and managing contractors, in particular in the context of PNG. We also discuss the reform that’s required in our aid program, to promote partnerships over economic dependence. Jacqui shares her strong views on why aid to Indonesia should not be reduced.
Finally, Jacqui reflects on her extensive career in development and how she remains positive, as well as her advice for the next generation looking to forge their careers. Jacqui’s advice is some of the most tangible and actionable advice I’ve ever heard so definitely stay tuned until the end!
Some of Jacqui's recent articles include:
https://devpolicy.org/in-search-of-a-strategic-aid-program-5-messages-for-the-new-australian-aid-policy-20200318/
https://devpolicy.org/facilities-deserve-a-place-in-development-20171113/
Articles on managing contractors and facilities include:
https://devpolicy.org/the-problem-with-facilities-and-aid-20190502/
https://devpolicy.org/improving-the-monitoring-and-evaluation-of-facilities-in-the-australian-aid-program-20190723/
The Development Policy Centre is running its annual fundraising appeal. The Centre provides critical support to this podcast and of course runs the Devpolicy Blog and undertakes important research around aid and development. If you appreciate this podcast and the Devpolicy blog, please make a tax deductible donation at devpolicy.org/donate.
Enjoy the episode, The GWH Team
Welcome to Episode 85 of Good Will Hunters from the Development Policy Centre. Today on the show I speak to Elizabeth Peak.
Elizabeth currently serves as the Co-Head of the COVID Development Response and Recovery Taskforce and First Assistant Secretary of the Human Development and Governance Division at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. Prior to this she was Minister-Counsellor (Economic) at Australia’s at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade embassy in Beijing, China. She has previously held the role of Assistant Secretary South-East Asia Services and Investment Branch.
Elizabeth has been instrumental in the Australian Government’s recent development policy Partnerships for Recovery — Australia’s COVID-19 Development Response and performance framework, which outlines Australia’s approach to tackling COVID-19 in our region, pivoting our development program to focus on the virus, together with our partners.
This interview is an exciting and rare opportunity to unpack the new policy with a senior representative of DFAT.
During the episode, Elizabeth and I examine how aid funding will be repurposed and allocated to assist the Indo-Pacific’s response and recovery to the COVID-19 pandemic, including where the 280m allocated to the response will be spent, and what programs have been cancelled or paused to make these funds available.
We then discuss whether bilateral aid to Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Nepal, among others, will continue, in light of the decision to only make targeted investments outside of South East Asia. I ask Elizabeth whether the Department and the Government regret cutting funds to health programs by over 30% in recent years, and why no additional funds have been allocated to the Covid-19 response, given that 1bn of additional funding was allocated to the region following the Indonesian tsunami.. Finally, Elizabeth and I discuss labour mobility and tourism, including whether the Government is doing enough to promote the Pacific Travel Bubble.
You can read the policy here - https://www.dfat.gov.au/publications/aid/partnerships-recovery-australias-covid-19-development-response
You can read analysis by the Devpolicy Blog on the policy here - https://devpolicy.org/australias-new-covid-19-development-response-strategy-strengths-and-contradictions-20200604-1/
The Development Policy Centre is running its annual fundraising appeal. The Centre provides critical support to this podcast and of course runs the Devpolicy Blog and undertakes important research around aid and development. If you appreciate this podcast and the Devpolicy blog, please make a tax deductible donation at devpolicy.org/donate
Enjoy the episode, The GWH Team
Welcome to Episode 84 of Good Will Hunters from the Development Policy Centre.
Today on the show I speak to Jonathan Pryke and Roland Rajah from the Lowy Institute. The Lowy Institute is an independent, nonpartisan international policy think tank located in Sydney, Australia.
Jonathan is the Director of the Lowy Institute’s Pacific Islands Program, a program that investigates the contemporary challenges facing the Pacific Islands region in areas including sustainable economic development, governance and leadership, and poverty alleviation. Jonathan’s research is interested in all aspects of the Pacific Islands, including economic development in the Pacific Islands region, Australia’s relationship with the Pacific, the role of aid and the private sector in Pacific Islands development and Pacific labour mobility.
Roland is the Lead Economist and Director of the Lowy Institute’s International Economics Program, a program that aims to explain developments in the international economy and influence policy by undertaking independent analytical research. Before joining the Lowy Institute Roland was a Senior Economist and Country Manager at the Asian Development Bank, where he worked on macro-fiscal policy, economic growth, and development issues in the Pacific region.
Jonathan, Roland, and I discuss the Pacific Aid Map, a major initiative by the Lowy Institute that charts aid flows across the pacific region. We also talk about China’s and Australia’s evolving aid engagement within the Pacific region, particularly in relation to supporting the Pacific’s economic stability and recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. Lastly, we discuss the new Partnerships for Recovery Strategy.
You can find recent coverage on the Pacific region via https://devpolicy.org and https://www.lowyinstitute.org/about/programs-and-projects/melanesia.
The Development Policy Centre is running its annual fundraising appeal. The Centre provides critical support to this podcast and of course runs the Devpolicy Blog and undertakes critical research around aid and development. If you appreciate this podcast and the Devpolicy blog, please make a tax deductible donation at devpolicy.org/donate.
Once again, we hoped to bring you coverage of the new aid strategy however this interview has again been delayed and we hope to bring it to you soon.
Enjoy the episode, The GWH Team
Welcome to Episode 83 of Good Will Hunters from the Development Policy Centre. Today on the show I speak to Ofa Guttenbeil-Lilkiliki and Konnie Yoifa.
Ofa is a women’s rights activist and filmmaker from Tonga. She has advocated for equality in women's economic and educational empowerment, in their political involvement and representation, in land reform, protection from violence, and has advocated for the ratification of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women for over a decade. She has twice been nominated for the U.S. Secretary of State International Women of Courage Award (2012,2013) recognising her work in advocating for women and childrens rights in Tonga.
Ofa and I discuss the Women and Children’s Crisis Centre in Tonga, and their work to support women who have experienced violence, whilst simultaneously advocating for policy reform at a national level. You can learn more about Ofa and the Centre via these links:
https://www.spc.int/sdp/70-inspiring-pacific-women/ofa-guttenbeil-likiliki https://www.tongawccc.org https://devpolicy.org/tongas-double-whammy-covid-19-and-tropical-cyclones-20200422/
Konnie is the Port Moresby Director of Femili PNG (pronounced 'Family PNG'). Femili PNG runs runs Case Management Centres to assist survivors of family and sexual violence to access the services they need. Their target population is women, men or children who are survivors of intimate partner violence, sexual violence, sorcery accusation related violence and/or child abuse. Konnie and I discuss the extent of gender based violence in PNG, particularly in light of recent news events relating to Debbie Kaore.
You can learn more about Femili PNG via these links:
https://www.femilipng.org https://devpolicy.org/femili-png-hiring-in-canberra/femili-png/
To learn more about gender based violence in the Pacific, visit the Devpolicy archives:
https://devpolicy.org/tag/gender-based-violence/
Enjoy the episode, The GWH Team
Welcome to Episode 82 of Good Will Hunters from the Development Policy Centre. Today on the show I speak to Martha Macintyre.
Martha is an anthropologist who initially studied History at The University of Melbourne and then moved on to postgraduate study in Anthropology at The University of Cambridge (UK) and gained her PhD at The Australian National University. She was elected a Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences in Australia in 2012.
Martha has undertaken research in Papua New Guinea for over 30 years. Martha has combined anthropological and historical scholarship with practical and policy concerns as an advisor and consultant to the Papua New Guinea government and several multinational corporations. She has particular interest in questions about changes in women’s power, health and well being in the context of rapid social change and has written extensively on gender, human rights and violence against women.
In this episode, Martha and I discuss why healthcare in PNG continues to be inadequate. We also discuss the contribution of anthropology to the international development sector, along with Martha’s hopes and fears for the future of PNG. Martha wrote an article for the Devpolicy blog in April 2019 on the catastrophic failure of health service delivery in PNG.
https://devpolicy.org/catastrophic-failures-in-png-health-service-delivery-20190404/
For more coverage on healthcare in PNG and the Pacific, visit the Devpolicy blog.
We did say we were bringing you coverage of the new aid partnership strategy this week. Unfortunately that interview had to be delayed but we hope to bring it to you next week.
Enjoy the episode, The GWH Team
Welcome to Episode 81 of Good Will Hunters from the Development Policy Centre. I’m your host Rachel Mason Nunn.
Today I’m speaking with Graham and Glenyys Romanes. This is the last of our interviews recorded at the Australasian Aid Conference hosted by the Development Policy Centre in partnership with the Asia Foundation back in February.
Through their long careers, and through their lives, both separately and as a couple, Graham and Glenyys have been trailblazers in a range of areas from gender equity, to disaster response, to Indigenous progamming.
In the 70s, Graham became famous for being a stay-at-home Dad, a rare species even today, but practically unheard of then. In the 80s, the couple took the equally radical step of job sharing the role of Victorian State Secretary of Oxfam Australia
In the early 80s, Graham led Oxfam’s response to the famine in the Horn of Africa, a pivotal event for Australia’s development NGOs. He again became a media figure, this time exposing the fact that the Ethiopian famine was not simply a natural disaster, but the outcome of a tyrannical regime. His 13-week journey by vehicle and foot from Sudan to Tigray was live-threatening but also life-changing. Ever since, Graham has worked in support of the people of Ethiopia, particularly through funding the digging of wells. Thanks to Graham’s work, more than half of the 4 million rural population of Tigray is now in walking distance of a well.
Glenyys’ focus was on the Pacific and Indigenous Australians. Oxfam was the first Australian development NGO to program domestically, and Glenyys oversaw the transition of their Indigenous programs into Indigenous hands. And if you’ve worked in the Pacific you will have heard of one One Small Bag, the ni-Vanuatu theatre group. It received its first funding from Oxfam Australia under Glenyys’s management.
Eventually Graham and Glenyys left Oxfam. In 1997, Graham became the Honory Consul for Ethiopia, a position he held till 2014. Glenyys commenced a career in Victorian local and state politics, which saw her serve as the Mayor of Brunswick and in the Victorian Upper House. They both remain active to this day through a range of numerous local, statewide and international engagements.
In this interview, Graham and Glenyys reflect on some of their achievements, and the lessons that they have learnt. Theirs is an inspirational and instructive story, that we should both celebrate and learn from, not only in our work, but in terms of our lives and aspirations.
Graham and Glenyys, along with Mark Sullivan and Sally Lloyd, were all featured in the Aid Profile series as part of their nomination for a Mitchell Humanitarian Award.
https://devpolicy.org/aidprofiles/2020/01/16/glenyys-and-graham-romanes-trailblazers/
We’ve also featured Mark and Sally on Good Will Hunters - you can find their episodes at www.goodwillhunterspodcast.com.au. If you know of anyone who has made an outstanding contribution to the development, with an Australian angle, nominate them for the annual Mitchell Humanitarian Award by writing to devpolicy@anu.edu.au. And check out the Aid Profile website at devpolicy.org/aidprofiles
Enjoy, The GWH Team
Welcome to Episode 80 of Good Will Hunters from the Development Policy Centre. The focus of today’s episode is Chinese Aid, with our guests Ji Hongbo and Denghua Zhang.
China’s aid has been on the rise for years, not only in the Pacific, but around the world. And with China-US rivalry taken to a new level as a result of COVID-19, China’s aid is set to become more important and more controversial than ever.
We often hear from experts on China about Chinese aid, but rarely from Chinese experts themselves. Yet given China’s complexity, not to mention the language barriers, hearing from those who understand the country and its systems is obviously critical
In this episode I chat with two experts who have both worked in the past for China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Ji Hongbo is the Asia Foundation’s Country Representative in China, in Canberra for the year at the ANU, but normally based in Beijing. Hongbo’s prior experience includes 5 years of diplomatic experience with China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, including an assignment to the Permanent Mission of China to the United Nations in New York.
Denghua Zhang is a Research Fellow in the Department of Pacific Affairs at the ANU. He completed his PhD on Chinese Foreign Aid and Trilateral Aid Cooperation in 2017, and recently released a book with ANU Press titled ‘A Cautious Approach: China’s Growing Trilateral Aid Cooperation’. You can access it here - https://press.anu.edu.au/publications/series/pacific-affairs/cautious-new-approach
Hongbo and I discuss China’s approach to international aid and development, including their focus on bilateral engagement over trilateral or multilateral engagement. We also discuss the rise of NGOs in China, and the independence of these NGOs as they attempt to implement government-funded projects. We discuss what traditional donors can learn from China and vice versa. Lastly we discuss how Chinese aid is responding to Covid-19.
Denghua and I discuss China’s approach to the Pacific, and why China is so interested in the Pacific. We address claims of debt-trap diplomacy and deepening military and security ties. We also discuss whether China can realistically collaborate with Australia on aid delivery on an ongoing basis.
In this episode you’ll hear some real insider perspectives on Chinese aid. It’s a rare opportunity, and I hope it promotes the sort of understanding we’re going to need as a globe if we are to successfully navigate China’s rise to superpower status.
For more coverage of Chinese aid to the Pacific, including artcles by Denghua and Hongbo, visit the Devpolicy blog at devpolicy.org. Recent articles on Chinese aid include:
https://devpolicy.org/the-new-chinese-aid-agency-after-its-first-two-years-20200422-2/
https://devpolicy.org/chinas-coronavirus-covid-19-diplomacy-in-the-pacific-20200527-1/
https://devpolicy.org/covid-19-and-chinas-soft-power-ambitions-20200424-2/
You’d also be aware that the Government released a strategy a few days ago, outlining Australia’s response to Covid-19 in the region. We’ll be bringing you more coverage and analysis of that soon.
Enjoy, The GWH Team
Welcome to Episode 79 of Good Will Hunters from the Development Policy Centre. Today on the program we have Richard Curtain and Elizabeth Naru Pechan.
Richard is a Research Fellow with the Development Policy Centre, with a focus on Pacific Labour Mobility. Liz is the Founder and Co-Owner of the multi-award winning resort The Havannah in Vanuatu. Within four days of Australia closing its borders to international travel, Liz’s resort had zero income. Over the last two months, she’s been contributing to Vanuatu’s response to both Covid-19 and Cyclone Harold by devising a tourism sector recovery plan.
Liz, on the Devpolicy blog - https://devpolicy.org/vanuatu-a-tourism-sector-perspective-on-potential-recovery-from-covid-19-and-tc-harold-20200506-1/
Richard, on the Devpolicy blog - https://devpolicy.org/a-travel-pathway-to-revive-pacific-tourism-20200522/
In this episode Richard and I discuss the Trans-Pacific Travel Bubble, including whether the benefits outweigh the risks for Pacific Island countries. We discuss whether the Pacific is too dependent on tourism, along with how best to approach labour migration during the Covid-19 recovery period.
Liz and I discuss what the reality has been for tourism sector workers in Vanuatu, and whether any support is being provided to workers who have had their contracts terminated. This episode analyses the road-ahead for tourism and labour mobility in the Pacific, and whether a travel bubble is the best way forward.
Enjoy, The GWH Team
Welcome to Episode 78 of Good Will Hunters from the Development Policy Centre. Today on the show we have Diana Fernandez and Faisal Bin Seraj.
Diana is the Deputy Country Representative for the Asia Foundation in Myanmar and Faisal is the Asia Foundation’s Country Representative in Bangladesh. Myanmar and Bangladesh, like all countries, have been hit by Covid-19. At this stage, the economic impacts are outweighing the health impacts, despite both countries having fragile health systems.
Diana and I discuss Myanmar’s economic dependence on China, and how this has impacted on Myanmar’s response to Covid-19 including the closure of their borders along with the emergence of Chinese NGOs. We discuss why Myanmar’s healthcare system is ranked as one of the worst in the world, and why the Ministry of Health recognises that it cannot cope with a Covid-19 outbreak. We also discuss the internet blackout occurring in Myanmar, as revealed by a private telecommunications provider, Telenor, who was ordered by the Ministry of Information in Myanmar to switch off some of their internet towers. The blackout has made the coordination of aid to parts of Myanmar difficult and speaks to broader concerns about the freedom of the media and the spread of critical information.
Faisal and I discuss why the growth-rate of Covid-19 infections in Bangladesh has been higher than other Asian countries, but also how Cox’s Bazar and the large refugee camp it houses, have managed to emerge with no confirmed cases. However, since the time of recording, two Rohingya refugees have tested positive for Covid-19 in Cox’s Bazar.
Faisal and I also discuss the low-cost test kits that have been distributed in Bangladesh and whether their reliability is a problem. Like Myanmar, there are also restrictions on internet access and media freedoms in Bangladesh, which we discuss. Lastly, we discuss the stimulus package announced by the Bangladesh government and whether it is enough to protect precious informal sector workers as well as the garment manufacturing sector, who have been hit hard by international brands cancelling their orders.
You can find out more about the Asia Foundation here - https://asiafoundation.org
You can also find more coverage of Covid-19 impacts in Asia via the Devpolicy blog at Devpolicy.org. Recently, Diana, Faisal and other staff from the Asia Foundation wrote an article for Devpolicy on women’s safety in Asia. It’s an important read - https://devpolicy.org/in-asia-not-all-homes-are-safe-we-need-an-urgent-shift-in-thinking-20200408/
Other articles contributed by Asia Foundation staff on Devpolicy cover the impact of and response to COVID-19 in Vietnam, Laos, and Malaysia
Enjoy, The GWH Team
Welcome to Episode 77 of Good Will Hunters from the Development Policy Centre.
Today we’re bringing you two experts from Port Moresby, to give a snapshot of the state of PNG at this unprecedented time. First, I speak with Michael Kabuni, Research Fellow in Politics at UPNG and contributor to the Devpolicy blog. Michael and I discuss the prevalence of police brutality outside of Covid-19, and the role of policing in containing the pandemic. We also discuss the impacts of Covid-19 on crime rates, including in the settlements, which are being hit the hardest.
Following Michael, I speak to Maho Leveil, Economics Lecturer at UPNG, and we look more closely at the economic impacts of Covid-19 on informal sector workers, as well as the income guarantees made by the Government of PNG. We discuss the popularity of the Marape Government and the likelihood they’ll get through 2020 without a Vote of No Confidence. Maho raises some interesting points about the lack of investment in health infrastructure in PNG and the drivers of this.
Both Michael and Maho are young academics at the University of Papua New Guinea, PNG’s leading university, that was established only ten years before the country’s independence in 1975. Both are contributors to the Devpolicy blog and we’ve included links to their recent articles here:
https://devpolicy.org/author/maholopa-laveil/ https://devpolicy.org/author/michael-kabuni/
You can visit our website www.goodwillhunterspodcast.com.au or connect with us on social media via @goodwillpod. We’d love to hear from you.
Enjoy, The GWH Team
Welcome to Episode 76 of Good Will Hunters from the Development Policy Centre. Today on the show I’m speaking with Jonathan Glennie.
Jonathan is the Director of the Ipsos Sustainable Development Centre. He is also a prominent writer and researcher on international development and cooperation, and has been a Visiting Fellow at the International Development Institute at King’s College London, as well as worked at the Overseas Development Institute, Save the Children UK and Christian Aid.
I interviewed Jonathan in February - pre Covid-19 - at the Australasian Aid Conference hosted by the Devpolicy Centre in partnership with the Asia Foundation. Jonathon gave a keynote address on ‘The Future of Aid in the 21st century - five paradigm shifts’. Jonathan spoke at the conference about global public investment in aid and the future of concessional international public finance, as we move from what he refers to as the ‘old fashioned aid mentality’.
In this interview, we take a deep dive into some of those points. We discuss the measurement of inequality versus poverty. We also discuss why development is a concern for all countries at all times, and why aid is permanent, not temporary, meaning we shouldn’t be concerned with exit strategies. We also discuss why all countries can contribute to aid, and be both donors and recipients. Lastly, we discuss why we need more accountability in governance of aid, and why private and public money are not the same, though both could be classed as investments. Jonathan is provocative and contentious in his arguments, and this conversation will certainly provoke some deeper reflections on how we do aid. A lot of the issues he raises have only become more not less relevant with the COVID19 pandemic.
The Australasian Aid Conference feels like a lifetime ago now, but many of the the insightful conversations that were had have been preserved through the Devpolicy blog and Good Will Hunters.
Conference wrap-up - https://devpolicy.org/insights-from-the-australasian-aid-conference-2020-20200310/
Devpolicy Talks - https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/2020-australasian-aid-conference-keynote-address-future/id576275861?i=1000472388895
Other conference episodes - https://goodwillhunterspodcast.com.au
We’ve got one last conference episode to air with Graham and Glennys Romanes, which is a fascinating and inspirational story so stay tuned for that. But next week we’re looking at Covid-19 in Papua New Guinea with two local experts.
Enjoy, The GWH Team
Welcome to Episode 75 of Good Will Hunters from the Development Policy Centre. Today I'm speaking with Odo Tevi and Dan McGarry.
Odo is Vanuatu’s Representative to the United Nations based in New York, and Dan is an independent journalist living in Vanuatu since 2003. Both Odo and Dan contribute to the Devpolicy blog, on matters relating to development in Vanuatu and the broader Pacific region.
It’s been a big month for Vanuatu. They’re one of the few remaining countries on Earth without Covid-19, but at the beginning of April, were hit with by Category 5 Tropical Cyclone Harold, which caused widespread destruction through the North of the country. Due to travel restrictions, the usual surge response didn’t occur, and so Vanuatu has been left to deal with the aftermath of Cyclone Harold without the usual international actors flying it. At the same time, Vanuatu has formed a new Government and has a new PM as of a few days ago, and has announced a stimulus package to support the country to recover from the economic impacts of both Covid-19 and Cyclone Harold.
But, will it be enough?
Odo and I discuss the stimulus package, and why Vanuatu may still need an international bail-out and what this could mean for the country. Odo shares his concerns around the conditions associated with a bail-out. We also discuss the role of the multilateral system, as well as bilateral donors including Australia and China. Dan acknowledges that he is not an objective voice in the wake of Cyclone Harold, given many of his family members are without urgent medical assistance on affected islands. Dan discusses why the response to Cyclone Harold is weeks behind Cyclone Pam, and how the Vanuatu Government has been slow to accept support from international actors including the UN and the World Food Programme. Dan shares his grave concerns about the welfare of so many in Vanuatu if the Government continues to respond inadequately.
More optimistically, Dan is confident that Vanuatu does not have Covid-19 due to the comprehensive testing and prevention measures that have been undertaken. Despite several Pacific countries not having Covid-19, the economic impacts will still be felt widely, and Dan recommends that a restructure of development assistance to the Pacific occurs.
As noted earlier, both Dan and Odo have contributed to the Devpolicy blog and we’ve included links to their recent articles here.
https://devpolicy.org/author/dan-mcgarry/ https://devpolicy.org/author/odo-tevi/
The Devpolicy blog has extensive coverage of the impacts of both Covid-19 and Cyclone Harold on the Pacific. You can read more at Devpolicy.org
Enjoy, The GWH Team
Welcome to Episode 74 of Good Will Hunters, from the Development Policy Centre.
Today on the show I’m speaking to newly appointed Oxfam Australia CEO Lyn Morgain, and Director of Programs Anthea Spinks.
Oxfam of course is one of Australia’s and the world’s biggest and most influential development NGOs. But it’s had some rough times lately with a decline in donations, and in Australia the closure of the iconic Oxfam shops.
In this interview, we discuss how the organisation is responding to the challenges it is facing. Lyn unveils Oxfam Australia’s new strategy that focuses on the connection between poverty and climate change, champions the integral role Indigenous Australians play in Oxfam, and outlines how Oxfam will transform its operating model as the world of INGOs continues to be “utterly redefined” as Lyn puts it.
Of course, we also discuss COVID19. In the last few weeks, Oxfam Australia has called on G20 Leaders to cancel or postpone the debt repayments of developing countries to help their economic recovery from COVID19. Oxfam has also been advocating for Australia to contribute just over 80m to the UN’s COVID19 Global Humanitarian Response Plan.
Anthea and I also discuss Oxfam’s programming response. As we have in recent programs, we look at the localisation agenda, and whether local actors are ready for the task at hand. In particular, we zero in at Cyclone Harold which has hit some Pacific Island Countries, and compare it to the response to Cyclone Pam in 2015, and the key difference that this time there are no international actors flying-in.
Here is some of Oxfam’s recent research and advocacy around COVID19 - https://www.iaran.org/covid19-scenarios
Here is a link to Devpolicy analysis on donations to Australian development NGOs - https://devpolicy.org/ngo-donations-winners-and-losers-since-2000-20200203/
And here is a link to the IMF’s most recent press briefing on the economic outlook - https://www.imf.org/en/News/Articles/2020/04/14/tr041420-transcript-of-april-2020-world-economic-outlook-press-briefing
For more coverage on COVID19, check out the Devpolicy website at devpolicy.org.
There is comprehensive coverage of the Pacific, but there are also some great articles from The Asia Foundation on the response in the Philippines and Nepal, and on the intersection of the pandemic with domestic violence and with civil conflict. We’ll be going into more depth on some of those issues in some of our upcoming episodes.
Please share any comments with us via our social media channels, which you can find @goodwillpod - we’d love to hear your feedback.
Enjoy the episode, The GWH Team
Welcome to Episode 73 of Good Will Hunters from the Development Policy Centre. Today’s guest is Shane McLeod. Shane is a Research Fellow working with the Lowy Institute’s Australia-PNG Network.
Before joining the Institute, he was a senior editor at ABC News in roles where he managed its Sydney newsroom and the flagship radio programs AM, The World Today, and PM. He is a former foreign correspondent with postings in Japan and Papua New Guinea, as well as reporting assignments throughout the Asia-Pacific region. He has also worked as a journalist in regional Queensland, Melbourne, Sydney, and Canberra.
As we go to air today, PNG has two confirmed cases of COVID19. Whilst the first case was brought in by a foreigner who had recently arrived in the country, the second case is of a Papua New Guinean.
In this episode, Shane and I discuss the relationship between Australia and PNG since independence in 1975, including whether Australia is in fact an “embarrassed" former colonialist. We also discuss, as we have on a few podcasts now, whether aid to PNG should come at the expense of aid elsewhere, and how much of our support for infrastructure and other sectors is driven by increasing competition with China.
Then of course we address COVID-19 in PNG, as well as Cyclone Harold which has already hit Fiji and Vanuatu. We discuss how misinformation and fake-news have impacted PNG’s response to COVID19. We also discuss the ongoing needs of PNG, including economic assistance and balancing concerns about health with concerns about economic growth. Shane is firmly an optimist when discussing PNG and believes the country has good reason to be positive about its future.
Shane and I went to East Sepik in November last year with the Lowy Institutes Australia-PNG Emering Leaders Dialogue. Whilst there, we met with Governor Alan Bird, who is doing much to transform the economy of East Sepik Province during his time in office. You’ll hear us discuss Governor Bird in this episode, and the steps the Province is taking to reduce COVID19 transmission from the Indonesian Border.
Meanwhile, if you’re interested in the impact of COVID-19 on the region, check out devpolicy.org, which covers blogs on the pandemic and … Fiji, PNG, Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, the Pacific as a whole, the Philippines, agriculture, gender-based and other forms of violence, and implications for Australian aid, with more being added every day.
Enjoy, The GWH Team
Welcome to Episode 72 of Good Will Hunters from the Development Policy Centre. Our guest today is Terence Wood.
Terence is a Research Fellow at the Development Policy Centre, at the Australian National University. Terence undertakes research on Australia and New Zealand’s aid programs, in particular the domestic political economy of aid. He also undertakes research on Melanesian politics, with a focus on the Solomon Islands.
We recorded this episode in late February, before COVID19 was declared a pandemic and before mass unemployment began in Australia, so naturally the context in which we had this conversation six weeks ago is very different to the context we find ourselves in today. None the less, we address some topical issues, including the effectiveness of aid in the Pacific versus in the rest of the world, and why many donors and NGOs find working in the Pacific more difficult than working in other regions.
We also discuss Terence’s view that the main motivator behind Australia’s focus in the Pacific is the rising influence of China, and whether it’s reasonable that aid to the Pacific is being delivered at the expense of aid to other places. We also discuss whether we need to worry about our comparative advantage, or our unique “brand” of aid, rather than focusing now what and where the greatest need is - it’s an interesting paradigm shift for us all to consider.
We also address Terence’s work tracking Australian government aid transparency, as well as a discussion of gender and diversity on NGO Boards in Australia. Lastly, Terence tells us about his work in the Solomon Islands and broadly the impacts of poor governance, and whether aid can actually fix it.
Terence’s work features prominently on the Devpolicy blog. On March 30 he wrote an article on what COVID19 will mean for the Pacific. You can read the full article on the Devpolicy blog here, https://devpolicy.org/what-will-covid-19-mean-for-the-pacific-a-problem-in-four-parts-20200330/.
Enjoy, The GWH Team
Welcome to Episode 71 of Good Will Hunters from the Development Policy Centre. This episode is focused on the impact COVID19 will have on both developing countries and the aid and development sector.
This week, I spoke on ABC’s Radio National Saturday Extra Program, on the topic of the Pacific and COVID19.
https://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/saturdayextra/
In today’s episode I’m speaking to Fiona Tarpey and Chris Roche.
Fiona Tarpey is the Head of Advocacy for the International Programs Department of the Australian Red Cross. She is also Co-Chair of ACFIDs Development Practice Committee. Chris Roche is the Director of the Institute for Human Security and Social Change at La Trobe University, and a Senior Research Partner of the Developmental Leadership Program.
Chris and Fiona jointly authored an article for the Devpolicy blog this week, titled ‘COVID19, localisation and locally led development: A critical juncture’. In sum, the article argued that COVID19 will force a large-scale transformation of the international development sector, and that this may actually be a good thing for local and international actors in the long term.
https://devpolicy.org/covid-19-localisation-and-locally-led-development-a-critical-juncture-20200323/
Int he interview, Fiona, Chris and I discuss why a reimagining of the development sector could be a good thing, including why restrictions on travel mean that local organisations suddenly have a more critical role to play. We discuss whether the development sector is equipped to work digitally, and subsequent to that, whether local organisations and local governments in the Pacific are adequately skilled and resourced to manage this new workload.
We also talk about the expected downturn in funding for the international development sector, including both NGOs and contractors, before finally discussing what will happen if developing countries including in the Pacific need economic bail-outs. Lastly, I ask Chris and Fiona whether, given the unprecedented scale of health and economic impacts that COVID19 is causing, is there any way that developing countries come out of this better than before?
I’ve also written an article on the support developing countries will require due to the sudden and complete loss of tourism revenue - https://www.lowyinstitute.org/the-interpreter/no-planes-cruise-ships-crucial-regional-industry-will-need-aid
We’ll continue to bring you coverage of the impact of COVID19 in our region as well as for the aid and development sector. If there’s anything you’d really like us to address, please get in touch.
Devpolicy Blog also continues to provide extensive coverage of COVID19 impacts on aid and international development, and in the Pacific and in Asia. Check it out at Devpolicy.org, and subscribe to their daily email and fortnightly digest here https://devpolicy.org
Enjoy, Rachel and the GWH Team
Welcome to Episode 70 of Good Will Hunters from the Development Policy Centre.
Today’s guest is Radhika Coomaraswamy. Radhika is a Sri Lankan lawyer, diplomat and human rights advocate. She has held a range of appointments within the United Nations, including as Special Representative for Children and Armed Conflict from 2006 to 2012, as lead author on a global study into Women, Peace and Security in 2014, and most recently as a Member in the United Nations Fact Finding Mission to Myanmar, following atrocities committed against the Rohinyga.
Radhika was a keynote speaker at the recent Australasian Aid Conference hosted by the Development Policy Centre and The Asia Foundation on the Women, Peace and Security Agenda, which we discuss in this episode.
It was an incredibly powerful speech. You can listen to it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J6eQlF5MYUQ#t=26m20s
Radhika and I talk about her experience growing up in Sri Lanka, including her reflections on having Indian independence leader Mahatma Gandhi as a family friend. We then talk about violence against women as a toxic expression of power, and how the continued use of gender based violence as part of conflict and war, has shaped the Women, Peace and Security Agenda. It’s a critical agenda, but Radhika argues that it is also one that needs reform. In her words, it needs to “get real”.
Radhika has visited every war zone in recent history, and she reflects on her recent experiences in Myanmar, and her conversations with the Rohinyga. She also talks about the fears of the Buddhist population in Myanmar and attempts to decipher the social and cultural factors that enable a genocide. Ultimately, this episode gets to the heart of fear, oppression and intolerance and how it impacts on the safety and security of all people but especially women.
Enjoy, The GWH Team
Welcome to Episode 69 of Good Will Hunters from the Development Policy Centre. Today's guest is Mark Sullivan.
Mark is a drug development expert and the founder of Medicines Development for Global Health (https://www.medicinesdevelopment.com). Along with his colleague John Reeder, Mark was featured in the Development Policy Centre’s Aid Profile Series in 2019 and was nominated for the Mitchell Humanitarian Award, which he they jointly won in Canberra in February of this year.
Mark’s Aid Profile, authored by Robin Davies of the Indo-Pacific Centre for Health Security, detailed the incredible efforts Mark and John have undertaken to end river blindness, a debilitating and historically neglected diseases afflicting tens of millions of people in Sub-Saharan Africa.
https://devpolicy.org/aidprofiles/2020/01/31/really-ending-river-blindness-mark-sullivan-and-john-reeder/
In this episode we discuss what river blindness is, and why some diseases are neglected by the pharmaceutical sector. Mark explains why he founded a not for profit organisation dedicated to developing drugs that are unlikely to be commercially viable in the long term. We discuss moxidectin, the drug Mark has developed to treat river blindness.
It’s a fascinating insight into the drug research, development and licensing process, and the pivotal role that both the WHO and the FDA play in this equation, plus a great example of how the aid effort and the private sector can work together for transformational development outcomes, especially in Australia where we have so much medical expertise.
Although we recorded this episode in mid-february before we knew that coronavirus would be declared a pandemic by the WHO, this is a very topical episode. Mark shines a light on how equipped global health systems are to respond to disease outbreaks, and how this manifestly different in more developed and less developed countries.
As well as disease outbreaks, this episode looks at health equity and how Mark has dedicated his career to using his very technical skillset to make big changes to healthcare accessibility globally. Moving forward, Mark is turning his attention even more to diseases here in Australia, including scabies which continues to afflict Indigenous communities.
We're proud to present this episode from the Development Policy Centre, a leading think tank for aid and development at the Australian National University serving Australia, the region and the global development community.
Check out all the Centre’s Aid Profiles at devpolicy.org/aidprofiles. If you know someone whose made an outstanding contribution to development, nominate them for a future Aid profile by writing to devpolicy@anu.edu.au.
Enjoy, The GWH Team
http://www.goodwillhunterspodcast.com.au
Welcome to Episode 68 of Good Will Hunters from the Development Policy Centre.
Today’s guest is Sally Lloyd. Sally was featured in the Development Policy Centre’s 2019 Aid Profiles, and was shortlisted for the 2020 Mitchell Humanitarian Award. Cleo Fleming documented Sally’s life in Mogulu, PNG, as part of the Devpol Aid Profiles series:
https://devpolicy.org/aidprofiles/2019/09/12/sally-lloyd-the-essence-of-community-development/
I interviewed Sally at the Australasian Aid Conference hosted by the Development Policy Centre and the Asia Foundation a few weeks back - we were lucky to get her in Canberra for a few days, as she spends much of her time in PNG.
Sally grew up in Mogulu, in the Western Province of PNG, after her parents moved there as missionaries in the late 1960s. At the time, PNG was still under Australian administration, which it remained until independence in 1975. By the age of 9, Sally had learned to assist her mum in delivering babies, and by age 16 Sally had established the first pre-school in the area and was teaching children in both English and the local language of Bedamuni.
Sally has remained a part of the community ever since, and splits her time between Mogulu and Brisbane, although as Sally says, it’s far more of Mogulu and far less of Brisbane these days.
In this episode, Sally and I discuss the 2015 drought in PNG. As that drought worsened, starved and malnourished people were arriving en masse at Mougulu’s health clinic, having spent days traversing the harsh and rugged terrain.
In response, Sally began to document the unfolding crisis and was instrumental in gaining the attention of both the international media, and the humanitarian sector who could come to the aid of the people of the Western Province. Sally was instrumental in the local and national response to the drought, and it was an honour to hear that story in or conversation.
In this episode we also discuss the state of rural healthcare in PNG broadly, including the important role of Community Health Workers and how there aren’t enough of them, and those that are working are in many instances not being paid adequately. For this reason, Sally and her team are looking at how they can work directly with Community Health Workers and bypass the bureaucracy.
As we celebrate International Women’s Day this week, I can’t think of a better woman to have on the show on this day than Sally Lloyd. Sally’s shares an insight into a life in PNG that most of us would otherwise never know or experience.
Before we go, we’re proud to present this episode from the Development Policy Centre, a leading think tank for aid and development serving Australia, the region and the global development community.
The Centre is hosting two major conferences in the next 6 months. The first is the Pacific Update from 24 - 26 June in Suva, Fiji, and the second is the PNG Update from 20-21 August in Port Moresby, PNG. Both events address the most pressing challenges and opportunities for economic and social development in our region, and proposals for presentations at the two conferences are now being accepted. If you’d like to share work with the development community, then we invite you to submit an abstract. All details can be found at devpolicy.anu.edu.au.
Sally Lloyd was featured in one of the three Aid Profiles released by the Devpolicy Centre in 2019. In the coming weeks, I’ll also be interviewing the other inspiring individuals featured in the series, each making enormous contributions to the development sector.
If you enjoy today’s episode, please leave us a review on iTunes or Spotify, and join our online communities on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
Enjoy, The GWH Team
Welcome to Episode 67 of Good Will Hunters from the Development Policy Centre.
Today’s guest is Lant Pritchett. Lant is described as a ‘Rock Star’ of the aid world. He is an American development economist, famous for challenging contemporary beliefs on development. Lant recently spoke at the Australasian Aid Conference, hosted by the Development Policy Centre, on why great intentions and great policies don’t always lead to great outcomes - he speaks about the importance of contextualising development approaches, or in other words, why we all can’t just adopt Finland’s education policies.
What works in one spot, may fail to work in another, if it doesn’t account for the real, lived experience of locals and the nuances of the social, economic and political system - it sounds rather obvious - we’d all agree that development approaches need to be relevant for the local context - but it doesn’t always play out in practice.
Lant’s views are challenging, and often controversial, and he delivers each point with his characteristic humour and light-heartedness, which made for a fun conversation.
Once again, this episode is from the Development Policy Centre, a leading think tank for aid and development based at the Australian National University. We’re thrilled to be working with the Development Policy Centre, and continuing to be the leading media platform dedicated to aid and development globally.
The Development Policy Centre is hosting the Pacific Update from 24-26 June in Fiji, and the PNG Update from 20 - 21 August in Port Moresby. I’ll be attending both conferences, and hope to see many of you there! Abstracts are now open for both conferences, so we’d love you to submit a paper on a topic relevant to aid and development, and hopefully share your ideas and experience with our community! You can find more info at devepolicy.anu.edu.au
Enjoy, The GWH Team
Welcome to Episode 66 of Good Will Hunters, from the Development Policy Centre. Today’s guest is Virisila Buadromo.
Virisila is a Pacific feminist and political activist, who co-leads the Urgent Action Fund for Women’s Human Rights for Asia and the Pacific, which is a rapid grant making facility to support female-identifying activists who need urgent assistance. Prior to joining the Urgent Action Fund, Virisila was at the helm of the Fiji Women’s Rights Movement for 14 years.
Virisila recently presented at the Australian Aid Conference, on the topic of donor funding for women and girls throughout the Pacific. She also appeared on Q&A in November 2019, alongside former guests of this program, Minister for International Development and the Pacific Alex Hawke and the Honourable Enele Sopoaga, former Prime Minister of Tuvalu.
In this episode, Virisila and I discuss human rights in Fiji, and whether climate change is used to deflect scrutiny away from other issues, including the treatment of women, girls and marginalised groups. There is very little media coverage of human rights issues in Pacific Island Countries, in particular in Fiji. Rather, when we discuss matters affecting Pacific Islands, we almost exclusively discuss climate change.
But, climate change is a vulnerability multiplier, meaning any social issues that already existing will only be made worse as the climate crisis intensifies - in the case of Fiji, this is a worsening of the situation of women and girls. But, Virisila and her colleagues tackle the issue everyday, and most recently published a paper on why donors are giving so little to local women’s organisations in the region, and why the same organisations are struggle to manage the stringent accountability requirements of donors. But the money is urgently needed, as you’ll hear in this episode.
We also discuss conflicting notions of feminism, the fake news epidemic and imposter syndrome, plus ways to create platforms that allow other people to speak their truth, in particular non-English speaking women in the region. This is an important episode and will shine a light on some heavy issues, that require more reporting - I know we’re inly skimming the surface but I’m eager to share these insights with you and spark an important conversation.
You will have heard me say at the outset of this episode, that Good Will Hunters was being presented from the Development Policy Centre. Many of you would know that the Development Policy Centre is in the Crawford School of Public Policy in the Australian National University. It is a leading global think-tank supporting the international development community, by undertaking research and promoting practical initiatives to improve the effectiveness of Australian Aid and contributing to better global development policy.
We’re so excited to be entering into this partnership, to further strengthen dialogue and research on aid and development in Australia, and give voice to more experts from throughout the region. You’ll be hearing more about the partnership and the Development Policy Centre in the coming weeks, and I welcome your input on how we can continue to be the leading media platform dedicated to aid and development, globally.
Links:
Urgent Action Fund for Asia and Pacific: https://www.uafanp.org The Development Policy Centre: https://devpolicy.org QANDA Pacific: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=izIVV6cDBms
Enjoy, The GWH Team
Welcome to Episode 65 of Good Will Hunters. In this episode, I’m chatting to Eric Peck, the Co-Founder and CEO of Swoop Aero, a company revolutionising access to healthcare, by providing on-demand aircraft, or drones, to deliver urgent medical supplies to rural and regional areas.
They’re currently deployed in Vanuatu, as well as a couple of other countries which you’ll hear about in this episode. I’m not going to tell you too much about their story - I want to let Eric tell you for himself.
What I will say, is that this episode is really important. I have worked in the Pacific over the last 6 or so years, and I’ve visited some really remote and rural places, particularly in Vanuatu and Papua New Guinea. Some villages that I’ve visited are only accessible on foot - they might be a 3-day walk from the nearest town, or in the case of some of the Pacific Island Countries, they may be a three-day boat trip from the nearest medical facility.
And yet many of these countries have some of the highest rates of infectious diseases int he world. It’s scary. It’s frightening as a visitor, and it must be even more terrifying as a local, knowing how hard it is to access even the most basic of medicine. Which is exactly why what Swoop Aero does is so important.
Eric tells some heartbreaking stories in this episode, one in particular about Mungau Dain, the lead male actor in the hit-film Tanna, who shortly after travelling the world promoting his film, died because he couldn’t access antibiotics in his village in Vanuatu.
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/10/obituaries/mungau-dain-dead.html
But, Eric also tells amazing, inspiring stories that make me optimistic about the future of rural healthcare.
After you listen to this episode, check out the Swoop Aero website - you’ll see a lot of media online about what they do and also about how they’re proudly backed by venture capital.
https://swoop.aero/about-us/
I’d also love to hear from you about your thoughts on the episode, and your experience accessing basic goods and services in remote and rural areas. Remember, Good Will Hunters is a community and I love seeing our community come together and advance these important conversations.
Before you go, make sure you’ve subscribed to Good Will Hunters on iTunes or Spotify to stay up to date with the latest news in aid, development and impact.
The other place to stay up to date is the Australasian Aid Conferenced, hosted by the Development Policy Centre at ANU. This year’s conference is on from 17 - 19 February, in Canberra and tickets are on sale now. I’ll be there, I’ll be conducting a whole lot of interviews and I’d love to meet as many of you as possible. Visit the Devpoliy website to secure your ticket today.
This episode is sponsored by Spark Strategy. Learn more at https://sparkstrategy.com.au
Enjoy the episode, Rachel and the GWH Team
Welcome to Episode 64 of Good Will Hunters, our Third Impact Investment Masterclass with Rosemary Addis, and the fourth time we’ve had Rosemary on the show.
Rosemary is one of the world’s preeminent impact pioneers. She has helped to shape the system to deliver innovation and investment that benefits people and the planet. Her global portfolio includes Trustee of the Global Steering Group for Impact Investment, Senior Advisor to United Nations Development Programme’s SDG Impact and she has been an expert reviewer for impact initiatives of the OECD and World Economic Forum.
Rosemary’s 30+ years track record spans sectors, disciplines and geographies from a global legal career with Allens-Linklaters and Kirkland & Ellis NY, where she ranked among the world’s leading lawyers, to the first Social Innovation Strategist for the Australian Government and member of the Social Impact Investment Taskforce established under the UK Presidency of the G8 where she was invited to represent Australia as the only participating country from outside the G7 and EU. She was founding Chair of the Australian Advisory Board on Impact Investing, for which she remains an Ambassador, and is founding Chair of Impact Capital Australia and Impact Investing Australia, Impact Investing Asia Pacific Market Builder of the Year (2018).
We cover a lot of ground in this episode. We start with the state of the nation here in Australia, in particular the bushfire crisis that has faced our country this Summer. We talk about what the crisis means for leadership and for investment and the way we think about funding social change. We discuss the Social Impact Investing Taskforce and the opportunity we have to shape a better enabling environment for impact investment.
We then discuss the review of our policy that is underway, including innovative financing opportunities and measuring progress against the SDGs. This includes discussion of the Pacific Infrastructure Financing Facility and one of my favourite programs, Investing in Women. Lastly we discuss what’s happening globally, including the launch fo the Impact Investment Institute in the UK and the Davos Manifesto 2020. Rosemary and I chat regularly both in these episodes and outside of them about why impact investment is so important for our aid sector.
As Rosemary and I acknowledge in this episode, we’re in an environment in Australia where our government funded development spending is very unlikely to increase in the short-term, however we are having a refresh of our aid policy where we can all contribute to the discussion on what a great aid program looks like. Impact investment presents an opportunity to sustainably fund the sector for greater impact. All organisations that I chat to are actively considering impact investment, so I hope these episodes are, and continue to be, an opportunity to learn more about impact investment and how it relates to our aid sector.
Also, tickets are now on sale for the Australasian Aid Conference, from 17-19 February at ANU in Canberra. The conference is run by the brilliant Development Policy Centre, which you heard about a few weeks back when I had Stephen Howes on the show. I’ll be at the conference, I’ll be interviewing a lot of the keynote speakers, and I’ll be hosting the Conference dinner! I would love to see lots of you there, so if you haven’t bought your ticket already, get on to it!
https://devpolicy.crawford.anu.edu.au/annual-australasian-aid-conference/2020
Enjoy, Rachel and the GWH Team
Welcome to Episode 63 of Good Will Hunters, recorded at the Pawa Liklik NGO Forum in October 2019.
I’m loving the opportunity to air these episodes from the Forum with you, as we confirm our interview line-up for the coming months. We’ll also be airing two new interviews before the end of January, and then kick-off our full interview line-up from February onwards.
So - today’s episode is a panel discussion on monitoring and evaluation. You’ll hear three speakers - the first is me! And the following two are former guests of this show - Stephen Howes from the Development Policy Centre and Georgina Camp from Huber Social. I chat about some basic questions to consider when discussing M&E, Stephen discusses the roles of academics and how they can assist with evaluating your international programs, and Georgie discusses the research methodologies employed by Huber Social. This episode is a great one for anyone looking to understand M&E for international development organisations better.
I always love speaking at conferences and especially having the opportunity to meet our listeners!
Enjoy, Rachel and the GWH Team
Welcome to Episode 62 of Good Will Hunters, recorded at the Pawa Liklik NGO Forum in October 2019.
You’ll hear three speakers in this episode discussing partnerships between donors and NGOs. Emily Fuller, Director, Mundango Abroad, Emily Wellard-Baring, Senior Philanthropy & Non Profit Services Manager, Perpetual and Luke Branagan, Director of Philanthropic Services, JBWere. They discuss private, strategic and corporate philanthropy, providing great insights for any organisation looking to grow their donor network, or diversify their funding sources.
We’ve got a few more episodes to air that were also recorded at the NGO Forum - I’m really excited to be sharing them with you all, and to be able to preserve some of the great learnings of the event.
I also wanted to add that we have a pretty huge year ahead of us here at Good Will Hunters - I’ll share more about it with you in the coming weeks, but one thing I will say now is that you’ll see and hear a lot more guests from our region - I’m committed to amplifying different voices and creating greater diversity of thought and experience on the show. There is so much in the works and I’m basically bursting to tell you but we’ll have to wait just a few more weeks.
I also want to say a huge thank you to our loyal listeners and also a big welcome to our new listeners - this show is for you - and so I really welcome any feedback you have. My inbox is always open and I love to hear from you.
Enjoy, Rachel and the GWH Team
Welcome to Episode 61 of Good Will Hunters, recorded at the Pawa Liklik NGO Forum in October 2019.
You’ll hear three speakers - Mat Tinkler, Director of Policy and International Programs, Save the Children, Sophie Jenkins, Partnerships and Performance Group Leader, Mary Mackillop Today and Brayden Howie, CEO, Action on Poverty.
The discussion focuses on the challenges and opportunities orgs face partnering, consolidating and merging. I’ve always loved the example of Save the Children - they’ve made some high profile acquisitions in recent years, as well as launched a couple of social enterprises to diversify their revenue. We’ve had CEO Paul Ronalds on the show, so if you’d like to hear more about consolidation you’ll find Paul’s episode on our website and all of podcast platforms. Mary McKillop Today and Action on Poverty have also had interesting experiences with mergers and partnerships and I trust you’ll find the commentary of Mat, Sophie and Brayden insightful.
Enjoy, Rachel and the GWH Team
Welcome to Episode 60 of Good Will Hunters. In this episode, I’m chatting to Bridi Rice.
Bridi is Director of Policy and Advocacy at the Australian Council for International Development – Australia’s peak body for aid and international development. Prior to joining ACFID, Bridi was a Senior Manager at Ernst & Young, delivering strategy, policy and project advice for domestic and international governments on social justice matters. She also worked in Papua New Guinea for three years as the Australian Government’s Senior Legal Adviser on anti-corruption and money laundering.
Bridi has over 12 years’ experience in human rights and international development, having worked in Sri Lanka, Maldives, Vietnam, Uganda, Qatar and the Pacific. She is currently completing postgraduate research with La Trobe University on counterpart perspectives of expatriate advisers in Papua New Guinea. Bridi is an emerging leader in the sector who is passionate about the intersection of development and human security – putting humans at the heart Australia’s international development cooperation program. Bridi is a regular speaker to diplomatic and conference audiences in Australia and abroad.
I had the great honour of working with Bridi throughout 2019, and she is strikingly candid, articulate, and knowledgable. She’s a wealth of insight and experience, and she shares a lot in this episode, so I hope you enjoy it.
As we go to air today, much of the East Coast of Australia is on fire. I myself wad evacuated from my Summer holiday in the town of Thredbo, in the Southern Slopes of NSW. As we drove up the Hume Highway to Sydney, being diverted on and off the road by the Emergency Services personnel, it was abundantly clear that this is not as business as usual. This is a new era of environmental damage for Australia, as over 9 billion hectares of our forests burn, far outnumbering other recent fires we’ve seen internationally.
As we debate how we can provide more resources to our fire-affected communities and to our emergency services, we also remain in the middle of a debate over the future of our aid policy. When the need is greater at home, it can invoke debate over how we prioritise our spending. It’s a topic I’ll be bringing up with some of our guests in the coming weeks.
We’re on the look out for new sponsors. If you’re a fantastic, socially-conscious, for purpose organisation, and you’d like to share your great work with over ten thousand listeners across 56 countries, then please get in touch!
Enjoy, Rachel and the GWH Team
Welcome to Episode 59 of Good Will Hunters, with Nigel Spence, the Outgoing CEO of ChildFund Australia.
Nigel retired from ChildFund at the end of 2019, after 14 years with the organisation. Under his leadership, ChildFund has expanded its programs to children and young people in Vietnam and Papua New Guinea, and commenced new operations in Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Timor-Leste.
Nigel is taking some time off to continue his studies into child protection policies in Vietnam, before continuing his work in the social sector in Australia. You may recall a few weeks back I aired the talk that Nigel delivered at the Pawa Liklik NGO Forum organised by the Kokoda Track Foundation in Sydney in October 2019. In this episode Nigel and I dive a bit deeper into some topics that are very important to our sector, including Sport For Development, our Aid Review and Child Sponsorship.
In this episode, you’ll hear Nigel and I talk about ChildFund’s work in the area of sport for development. It feels like sport and aid programs were once an unlikely pair, but in recent years many NGOs in Australia have implemented sports-based programs as a means of building relationships in communities, teaching vital skills, combating non-communicable diseases and more. In fact, Australian Aid has been funding sport for development programs since 2009.
According to the DFAT website, sport is a vehicle to achieve development outcomes in areas such as health, gender and disability inclusion. In my view, sport has it’s own inherent benefits to communities but it’s also an effective means of outreach and relationship-building, and has flow on effects to other development programs. As a country that provides itself on sport, it also makes sense for sport to be part of our unique aid identify.
In this episode we also discuss why economic growth doesn’t always equate to widespread poverty reduction, despite popular belief that the two go hand in hand. Countries in South East Asia especially exemplify that increased economic growth alone doesn’t result in improvements nationwide to the wellbeing of communities. This part of the discussion gets to the heart of why economic growth doesn’t always justify decreased aid support.
The other topic I particularly like in this discussion is child sponsorship. ChildFund continues to have child sponsorship as an element of its fundraising and outreach strategy, however has diversified into several other funding streams as well. Nigel and I chat about how child sponsorship has evolved as child protection laws are tightened, and how exactly ChildFund administers sponsorship funds.
So - where do you sit on the sport for development agenda and should it play an even bigger role in our aid policy? Where has economic growth not equated to widespread poverty reduction and how do we rewrite this narrative? And lastly, how do we build connections between Australians and people in countries our aid supports, with respect for cultural nuance and identity?
Enjoy, Rachel and the GWH Team
Welcome to Episode 58 of Good Will Hunters, with Bob McMullen!
Bob was recommended to me by another one of our former guests, Rosie When, the CEO of WaterAid. Rosie and Bob have worked together, including through Bob’s role as the Chair of the Australian Water Partnership Advisory Committee. Bob was elected national secretary of the Australian Labour Party in 1981 and directed the ALPs 3 successful election campaigns in the 1980s. Between 1996 and 2007 Bob held a number of Shadow Ministerial positions including Shadow Treasurer, Shadow Minister for Finance and Small Business and Shadow Minister for Federal and State Relations, and after the election of the Rudd Government in November 2007, he was appointed Parliamentary Secretary for International Development Assistance.
Bob is now a member of the high-level Advisory Group on Climate Change Financing, which was mobilized during the UN Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen in December 2009. He is also an Adjunct Professor in the Crawford School of the Australian National University. I interviewed Bob when I was in Canberra a few weeks back.
In this episode, you’ll hear us discuss aid to Africa and the Middle East and why Australia is uniquely placed to support sustainable development in African countries in the areas of agriculture, water management and even mining. We also discuss Australia’s relationship with the multilateral development banks, including the World Bank which regular listeners will know I always like discussing, and we also talk about disability and why it constitutes Bob’s proudest achievement from his time in public life.
Enjoy, Rachel and the GWH Team
Welcome to Episode 57 of Good Will Hunters with the Honourable Pat Conroy. Pat is the Member for Shortland in NSW. He is also the Shadow Minister for International Development and the Pacific, the Shadow Minister Assisting for Climate Change and the Shadow Minister Assisting for Defence.
Pat has held the portfolios since June of 2019. In this episode, Pat responds to the comments made by Minister Alex Hawke on this show a few weeks back. We chat about the intersection of our aid program and climate change, the consequences of reducing our aid budget along with our presence in many regions of the world, the focus on infrastructure in the Pacific, matters of natural security and regional stability, and a lot more.
As you would know, it’s a really pivotal time to be discussing aid and what our new aid policy should look like. The ALP and the Coalition have different perspectives on our aid program, and I hope that through these episodes we can unpack what those differences are and contribute to a more informed debate on how we can maximise our impact overseas.
Enjoy, Rachel and the GWH Team
Welcome to Episode 56 of Good Will Hunters, with Stephen Howes.
Stephen is a Professor of Economics at the Crawford School of Public Policy at the Australian National University. Stephen is also the Director of the Development Policy Centre. The Centre is a leading think tank on aid and development, undertaking independent research and promoting practical initiatives to improve the effectiveness of Australian aid.
A few weeks back Stephen and I were on a panel together at the Pawa Liklik NGO Forum organised by the Kokoda Track Foundation, and following that I asked him to be on the show. More recently, Stephen wrote an article for the Lowy Institute on our recent interview with Minister Alex Hawke - https://www.lowyinstitute.org/the-interpreter/stepping-pacific-expense-pakistani-women-and-girls
In this episode, we discuss the Australian Aid program, including the Pacific Step-Up, InnovationXChange, Biltaeral Aid Investment Plans, and the refresh of the aid policy that’s on the horizon. We also discuss the challenges Pacific Islands face with the Seasonal Workers Program and other labour schemes in Australia. And lastly we discuss the connection between academia and NGOs and the rise of evidence-based programs along with the notion of aid effectiveness. I hope that many of you working in NGOs will reach out to an academic after you listen to this episode and find a way to work together.
Enjoy, Rachel and the GWH Team
Welcome to Episode 55 of Good Will Hunters, with Nigel Spence, the outgoing-CEO of ChildFund Australia.
This episode was recorded at the Pawa Liklik NGO Forum hosted by the Kokoda Track Foundation in October 2019. KTF launched the forum as a platform to discuss the challenges facing small and medium NGOs working in international development. Visit https://www.ktf.ngo to learn more about KTF and the forum.
Nigel was one of the keynote speakers at the forum, and reflected on his time as ChildFund CEO, including the drive for innovation, collaboration and strengths-based approaches. I am interviewing Nigel in a few weeks, so I'd love for you to listen to this episode and send me some questions to ask him! He is a wealth of knowledge and insight, as you'll hear.
Enjoy, Rachel and the GWH Team
Welcome to Episode 54 of Good Will Hunters, with Watna Mori, Papua New Guinean-Australian human rights lawyer.
Watna and I attended the Australia-PNG Emerging Leader's Dialogue together a few weeks ago. I met Watna at Brisbane Airport and I think about 10 seconds into our conversation we were already laughing - which you’ll certainly hear us do more of in this episode. Watna grew up between Papua New Guinea and Australia.
She studied law, and now works primarily in the area of human rights law. She has also worked in the Manus Island and Nauru Detention Centres representing asylum seekers. Watna also does a whole lot more, which we’ll start to unpack in this episode.
You’ll hear us chat about growing up between Australia and PNG, Australia’s colonial legacy and the impact of offshore detention on that legacy, the need for more locally owned tourism in PNG, the future of Australian aid to PNG, and more.
This episode gets to the heart of a few topics that are very important to me, and so many of us - offshore detention, healing our colonial legacy, cultural and intellectual property and aid dependency.
I suggest listening to this one with a cup of tea in hand - there's a lot to take in!
Enjoy, Rachel and the GWH Team
Welcome to Episode 53 of Good Will Hunters, with the Right Honourable Alex Hawke, Minister for International Development and the Pacific and Assistant Minister for Defence.
The Minister was sworn into office on May 28, 2019. He has spent much of the last 6 months travelling throughout the Pacific Islands and PNG, understanding the concerns of our nearest neighbours.
In this episode, we cover a whole range of topics relating to the aid and development agenda in Australia, including the nexus of defence and development, climate change support to the Pacific, debt sustainability, funding for infrastructure versus funding for health and education, the role of China, our agenda in PNG, the future of our aid program, the role of NGOs, and also the advice the Minister would have liked to give himself ten years ago. This interview was a fantastic opportunity to ask the Minister many of the questions that I, and others in the sector, have been wanting to know.
As always, we welcome your feedback. You can get in touch via our website www.goodwillhunterspodcast.com.au and if you love the show, we'd love you to leave a review on iTunes!
Enjoy, Rachel and the GWH Team
Welcome to Episode 52 of Good Will Hunters. This is a special episode, summarising the four resolution that were passed at the ACFID Annual General Meeting, held in late October in Sydney.
I chat to Mat Tinkler from Save the Children, Jane Edge from CBM Australia, Simon Bradshaw from Oxfam Australia and Jeremy Hobbs from ActionAid Australia.
To learn more about the resolutions, visit https://acfid.asn.au/about/acfid-council
Enjoy, Rachel and the GWH Team
Welcome to Episode 51 of Good Will Hunters, with Sally Hetherington, author of 'It's Not About Me' - a manifesto on the realities of short term volunteering, based on Sally's lived experience in Cambodia.
Sally and I have a brilliant, and deeply important, conversation about why short term, unskilled volunteering often does more harm than good. We chat about the need to change the narrative around volunteering, to be more aligned with principles of local-ownership and sustainable livelihoods.
As always, we welcome your feedback via our socials or our website www.goodwillhunterspodcast.com.au
Enjoy, Rachel and the GWH Team
Welcome to Episode 50 of Good Will Hunters! I cannot believe we made it this far - I'm so proud of this show and so proud of us as a community. I had wondered who would be our guest on this momentous episode, and I'm incredible humbled to say it is the Former Prime Minister of Tuvalu, the Right Honourable Enele Sopoaga.
This episode is sponsored by Spark Strategy. Spark Strategy is an agency for strategic thinking, transformation and sustained action. Bringing together ideas, capability and capital, Spark helps the not for profit, government, corporate and philanthropic sectors with strategic planning, sustainable business model design and government engagement... to unleash their potential and to transform themselves and the societies in which they work and live. Go to sparkstrategy.com.au to find out more.
I heard Enele speak at the Australian Council for International Development (ACFID) conference earlier this week. If you don't already know ACFID - you should! Enele gave the keynote address in the morning, and there was a reverence in the audience as he spoke. There were laughs, tears and a sense of both urgency and optimism. Later that afternoon, I had the opportunity to interview Enele and his wife Silalo. It was a moment I will treasure forever.
This episode is BIG - it is a chance for us to truly listen and understand the situation of Tuvalu. I encourage you to listen to the episode in full, and support all platforms which amplify the voices of our Pacific brothers and sisters.
Please get in touch if you want to be a part of the Good Will Hunters journey - we welcome feedback, guest suggestions, and opportunities for sponsorship and collaboration!
I extend so much love and gratitude for you all for being a part of this podcast community.
Enjoy, Rachel and the GWH Team
Welcome to Episode 49 of Good Will Hunters, with Angus Crowther and Neil Pharaoh from Spark Strategy.
This episode is sponsored by Spark Strategy. Spark Strategy is an agency for strategic thinking, transformation and sustained action. Bringing together ideas, capability and capital, Spark helps the not for profit, government, corporate and philanthropic sectors with strategic planing, sustainable business model design and government engagement... to unleash their potential and to transform themselves and the societies in which they work and live. Go to sparkstrategy.com.au to find out more.
This week, I chat to Angus and Neil from Spark Strategy! We chat all things government engagement - what it means for NGOs and how to do it. This episode is a practical guide to how your organisation can articulate your value proposition to government, and advocate for change.
To learn more, check out Spark's whitepaper on the topic here http://info.sparkstrategy.com.au/whitepaper-beyond-government-relations
If you loved this episode, we'd love your feedback! Leave us a review on iTunes or get in touch via our website www.goodwillhunterspodcast.com.au or email Rachel at rachel@goodwillhunterspodcast.com.au
Enjoy, Rachel and the GWH Team
Welcome to Episode 48 of Good Will Hunters, with Shaun Star.
This episode is sponsored by Spark Strategy. Spark Strategy is an agency for strategic thinking, transformation and sustained action. Bringing together ideas, capability and capital, Spark helps the not for profit, government, corporate and philanthropic sectors with strategic planning, sustainable business model design and government engagement ... to unleash their potential, and to transform themselves and the societies in which they work and live. Go to sparkstrategy.com.au to find out more.
Shaun Star is an Associate Professor & Assistant Dean (International Collaborations) at Jindal Global Law School and Executive Director, Centre for India-Australia Studies at O.P. Jindal Global University, and has been working in India since 2010.
Shaun is passionate about promoting the Australia-India relationship and is co-founder and Chair of the Australia India Youth Dialogue, a forum which hosts young politicians, entrepreneurs, policy-makers and diplomats and encourages collaboration between young leaders of both of our nations.
Commentating on issues such as the Australia-India relationship and sports law and governance in India, Shaun’s opinion pieces have been featured in Indian and Australian national newspapers and he has participated in panel sessions on Indian prime time television.
In this episode, Shaun and I chat about the origins of the AIYD, the end of Australian aid to India, education sector partnerships, the Varghese Report on India-Australia cooperation and more. This is a must listen for any one working in India, or interested in the Australia-India relationship.
If you loved this episode, we'd love your feedback! Leave us a review on iTunes or Facebook, or get in touch via our website www.goodwillhunterspodcast.com.au
Got an idea for a guest? Or an issue we need to cover? Or want to sponsor the show? Let's chat! You can contact me directly via rachel@goodwillhunterspodcast.com.au
Enjoy, Rachel and the GWH Team
Welcome to Episode 47 of Good Will Hunters, with Rosemary Addis.
This episode is sponsored by SolarBuddy, the organisation bringing solar lights to children living in energy poverty. The future is brighter with SolarBuddy!
This is the second of our quarterly podcast where get concrete about impact investment – what can grow the market, what you can do and where investment for impact is making a difference.
In today’s episode we’re talking the focus on impact with the rapid acceleration in impact management practice and governance, putting the spotlight on corporates the big shake up in the debate about shareholder vs stakeholder primacy following the US Business Roundtable statement, considering where investment is driving impact for development and inclusive growth including wrap up of G7, G20 and UN General Assembly and we’ll look at what’s shaping up for conference season.
Enjoy, Rachel and the GWH Team
Welcome to Episode 46 of Good Will Hunters, with Chris Croker!
This episode is sponsored by SolarBuddy, the organisation providing solar lights to children living in energy poverty. The future is brighter with SolarBuddy! To learn more visit solarbuddy.org
Chris is the the Managing Director of Impact Investment Partners and the founder of the Indigenous Impact Investment Fund. Chris is a Luritja man from Central Australia, which is the area around Uluru and Kings Canyon. Chris is passionate about closing the gap for Indigenous Australians throughout impact investment.
The Fund aims to raise 500m to be spent across 15-20 projects focused on healthcare, education and energy solutions for rural and remote Indigenous towns. In this episode, we explore what a flourishing impact investment ecosystem would mean for social services in Australia.
I’m particularly excited about what the fund can do in the next 5-10 years, so long as investors, government and business gets behind the potential for impact investment to revolutionise social services.
Enjoy, Rachel
Welcome to Episode 45 of Good Will Hunters, with Allan Gyngell.
This episode is sponsored by SolarBuddy, the organisation providing solar lights to children living in energy poverty all over the world. The future is brighter with SolarBuddy!
Allan Gyngell AO was appointed the National President of the Australian Institute of International Affairs (AIIA) in September 2017, having previously been named a Fellow of the AIIA in 2010.
He is an honorary professor with the Australian National University’s College of Asia and the Pacific and was most recently Director of the ANU Crawford Leadership Forum.
Allan has had an extensive career in Australian international affairs. He was the Director-General of the Australian Office of National Assessments (ONA) from 2009 to 2013. Prior to leading the ONA, he was the founding Executive Director of the Lowy Institute for International Policy from 2003 to 2009. Additionally, he has worked at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, serving as an Australian diplomat in Rangoon, Singapore and Washington. He was Senior Advisor (International) to Prime Minister Paul Keating between 1993 and 1996.
Allan was appointed as an Officer in the Order of Australia in 2009 for services to international relations. In 2007, he co-authored Making Australian Foreign Policy with Michael Wesley. His most recent book, Fear of Abandonment: Australia in the World Since 1942, was released in 2017 to considerable acclaim.
In this episode we chat about Australian foreign policy, including the importance of inclusive and accessible public debate, our impact on world order over the last 70 years, relations with the Pacific, foreign aid and more. Allan is a brilliant intellectual who continues to make an enormous contribution to foreign policy in Australia.
Enjoy, Rachel and the GWH Team
Welcome to Episode 44 of Good Will Hunters, with Mike Kelly MP, Member for Eden-Monaro.
This episode is sponsored by SolarBuddy, the organisation bringing solar lights to children living in energy poverty all over the world. The future is brighter with SolarBuddy!
Mike began his career fighting for the rights of injured workers and campaigning for those suffering from asbestos-related diseases in Sydney. In 1987 he joined the Army and had extensive military experience, serving in several international operational deployments including Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Somalia, East Timor and Iraq.
Mike is a leading expert on peace and stabilisation operations, post-conflict reconstruction and counter-insurgency. He has a PhD in related fields, has published two books, and numerous articles. Mike is passionate about renewable energy and the need to act on climate change. He is a strong advocate for veterans and the interests of rural and regional Australia within the Labor Party and Parliament.
In this episode, we discuss Australia's onshore and offshore humanitarian policy, coordination and outsourcing in humanitarian emergencies, the military-NGO nexus, AusAID and the aid budget, democracy and more. This is a big, important discussion - as always, we'd love to hear your thoughts!
Enjoy, Rachel and the GWH Team
Welcome to Episode 43 of Good Will Hunters, with Felicity Green.
This episode is sponsored by SolarBuddy, the organisation bringing solar lights to children living in energy poverty all over the world. The future is brighter with SolarBuddy!
Felicity is the Founder and Director of Spark Strategy, a consultancy specialising in strategy and operating models for the not for profit sector. Felicity is an absolute whiz - I am in awe of her knowledge and the highly impactful ways she supports charities to do what they do.
In this episode we discuss all things not for profit strategy - partnerships, funding, intellectual property, impact, competition, and profit. This is a practical resource for anyone working in the not for profit sector to listen to and learn from, as well as anyone with an interest in how organisations can create and sustain change!
Interested in becoming a sponsor and promoting your organisation to a growing community of change-makers? Reach out via our website www.goodwillhunterspodcast.com.au - we'd love to hear from you!
Enjoy, Rachel and the GWH Team
Welcome to Episode 42 of Good Will Hunters, with Sandra Uwantege Hart.
This episode is sponsored by SolarBuddy, the organisation bring solar lights to children living in energy poverty all over the world. The future is brighter with SolarBuddy!
Sandra is the Pacific Cash and Livelihoods Lead for Oxfam, based in Vanuatu. One of my absolute favourite topics is humanitarian assistance, and particularly how we can deliver better humanitarian assistance in natural disasters. Sandra has been involved in multiple humanitarian responses in the Pacific Islands, including the response to the volcanic eruption on Ambae, Vanuatu,
In this episode, we chat about how Oxfam turned humanitarian response upside down, by conducting a cash feasibility study. Basically, they asked the question “Why not give cash in a humanitarian emergency?” and found that many parts of Vanuatu, including Ambae, were suitable for cash-handouts during a disaster. Fortuitously, the volcanic eruption on Ambae occurred just weeks after the cash feasibility study was complete. It became the first natural disaster in the country whereby those affected were given direct cash handouts - and the results were seriously impressive.
In this episode, we discuss the rationale and logistics of giving cash instead of in-kind support, the realities of working in humanitarian emergencies, how to align cash support with local economies, the role of banks during a natural disaster, and… blockchain! Hint: blockchain has enormous potential in natural disaster responses!
The Unblocked Cash pilot could not be delivered without the generous financial and non-financial support of key partners, including Sempo, an Australian startup (who built the blockchain platform), Consensys, a global blockchain firm who provided technical support, AND of course the Australian government - who funded this program and most of Oxfam's other cash preparedness work. In addition, the New Zealand government supported the Ambae Response work.
Enjoy, Rachel
Welcome to Episode 41 of Good Will Hunters, with Naomi Steer.
This episode is sponsored by SolarBuddy, the organisation bringing solar lights to children living in energy poverty all over the world. The future is brighter with SolarBuddy!
Naomi is the founding National Director of UNHCR. She is a passionate advocate for refugees, with a deep understanding of the issues affecting displaced people. Naomi has worked in human rights and refugee issues since she began her career as a diplomat with the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, with postings at the United Nations in New York and in India.
Naomi established Australia for UNHCR in 2000. Under her leadership and with the support of Australian donors, Australia for UNHCR has become a top ten private sector contributor to UNHCR’s budget, ahead of many governments and international foundations. It is the only international agency in Australia solely focused on refugees and raises tens of millions of dollars annually to support UNHCR’s global humanitarian work.
In this episode, we discuss the programs that Australia for UNHCR helps fund globally, how to tell refugee stories in an empowering way, why local entrepreneurs need to be commercial, the power of women supporting women, and a whole lot more. I loved chatting to Naomi and hope you love this episode as much as I loved recording it.
Are you interested in sponsoring an episode? Or would you like to be on the show? Get in touch via our website - www.goodwillhunterspodcast.com.au
Enjoy, Rachel
Welcome to Episode 40 of Good Will Hunters, with Adam Carrel.
THIS EPISODE IS SPONSORED BY SOLARBUDDY, BRINGING SOLAR LIGHTS TO CHILDREN ALL OVER THE WORLD. THE FUTURE IS BRIGHTER WITH SOLARBUDDY.
It’s Episode 40! We made it. This week is significant for two reasons:
Firstly, I interview Adam Carrel, EY Partner and my boss. Unbeknownst to Adam, a conversation I had with him in January 2018 was one of the catalysts for starting this podcast. Back in January 2018 when I met Adam for the first time, I told him that I wanted to support the charitable sector by working in the private sector. I wasn’t entirely sure what I meant by that, but Adam reassured me that it was a viable career path and that the private sector was also a domain for large-scale positive social impact, when managed properly.
I walked away from the conversation and decided it was an important topic that I personally wanted to learn more about, and wanted to create a platform for the rest of the sector to learn from too. So I started GWH, and we’ve since produced 40 episodes all about private-public cooperation for social impact - so it feels only right that Adam is our Episode 40 guest.
Secondly, we have a brand new sponsor, and not just any sponsor but one of my favourite organisations, Solar Buddy. A few weeks back I had the absolute joy of handing out solar lights to primary school children in Southern Highlands and Milne Bay in PNG, with my friends at Kokoda Track Foundation. Solar Buddy is the perfect sponsor for GWH, because they create opportunities for corporations to meaningfully engage with international development, and provide a very practical form of support to children all over the world.
In this episode, Adam and I talk about the ONE big thing that the private sector can offer the public sector, the danger of mergers and acquisitions for charities, globalism and why we can’t recreate the 90s, private sector responsibility on the SDGs, the importance of self-regulation, and why we’re all better as individuals.
Enjoy, and Happy 40th Episode! Rachel
Welcome to Episode 39 of Good Will Hunters! This week I chat to Kat Dunn, CEO of Grameen Australia, about her work to support social businesses.
THIS EPISODE IS SPONSORED BY THE INTREPID GROUP, THE TOUR COMPANY PROVIDING SUSTAINABLE, EXPERIENCE-RICH TRAVEL.
You might recognise Grameen Australia from the Grameen Bank, the well know micro loan bank started by Muhammad Yunus. Grameen Australia isn't an extension of the Grameen Bank, but rather is an independent organisation supporting social businesses in Australia to scale. What is a social business? I'd describe it as a business with a social mission, which reinvests profits back into the business rather than giving profits to shareholders.
In this episode, Kat describes why social businesses can do what governments and charities often can not. It's an important discussion and a fantastic insight into the work of Kat and her peers.
Enjoy, Rachel
[Royalty free music by Ben Sound]
Welcome to Episode 38 of Good Will Hunters!
THIS EPISODE IS SPONSORED BY THE INTREPID GROUP, THE TOUR COMPANY PROVIDING SUSTAINABLE, EXPERIENCE RICH TRAVEL.
This week I chat to Julia Newton-Howes, CEO of Investing in Women (IIW)and former CEO of CARE Australia. Julia has been living in the Phillipines over the last couple of years, and recently moved back to Australia to continue her role as CEO of IIW. She managed to squeeze me in for an interview in the midst of moving!
Julia and I chat about the economic (and social) value of gender equality for businesses, why IIW targets the formal sector rather than the informal sector, the work of business coalitions in Myanmar, Vietnam, the Phillipines and Indonesia, gender transformative legislation, and designing aid programs with commercial outcomes.
Julia's heartfelt comments at the end of this interview are so important - a must listen for everyone who cares about aid and equality.
Enjoy, Rachel
[Royalty free music by Ben Sound]
Welcome to Episode 37 of Good Will Hunters! This week I chat to Reece Proudfoot, Innovation Strategist at WWF Australia and Founder of Panda-Labs, Australia's sustainable technology accelerator.
THIS EPISODE IS SPONSORED BY THE INTREPID GROUP, THE TOUR COMPANY PROVIDING SUSTAINABLE, EXPERIENCE-RICH TRAVEL.
I first met Reece at a 'Blockchain Breakfast' hosted by WWF and NAB in November last year. Reece had a knack for discussing innovation with a mix of intellect, enthusiasm and caution. Reece has revolutionised WWF's approach to support innovation, and his work is the epitome of strong private sector and charitable sector collaboration.
In this episode we discuss whether technology can save the world, how charities can leverage their intellectual property, whether better oversight of expenditure will create more trust, the use of blockchain, and the importance of good corporate partnerships, plus a whole lot more.
Enjoy! Rachel
Welcome to Episode 36 of Good Will Hunters!
THIS EPISODE IS SPONSORED BY THE INTREPID GROUP, THE TOUR COMPANY PROVIDING SUSTAINABLE, EXPERIENCE RICH TRAVEL.
This week I chat to Shane Nichols, CEO of Good Return. Good Return is an outstanding organisation supporting microfinance institutions throughout the Asia-Pacific region. Shane and I first met in late 2018 in Jakarta, where we discussed the challenges faced by small business owners in the region in accessing investment finance, particularly women.
Microfinance is a concept that drew me to the development sector many years ago. Organisations like the Grameen Bank that provided micro-loans to rural, and usually very impoverished business owners, so they could purchase assets for the business or pay off their debts incrementally, fascinated me. It still does - and after this episode my enthusiasm for microfinance has been reinvigorated.
Enjoy, Rachel and the GWH Team
[Royalty free music by Ben Sound]
Welcome to Episode 35 of Good Will Hunters! This week I chat to Luke Branagan, Director of Philanthropic Services at JBWere.
THIS EPISODE IS SPONSORED BY THE INTREPID GROUP, THE LEADERS IN SUSTAINABLE SMALL GROUP TRAVEL.
Prior to joining JBWere, Luke was the Executive Manager of the MLC Community Foundation, where he led the evolution of the strategic direction of the Foundation to focus on mental health outcomes. During Luke’s tenure, the Foundation was recognised as a philanthropic leader in measuring social outcomes, driven by innovative approaches to measurement and impact investment. Luke was also a member of NAB’s Corporate Responsibility Leadership team. Prior to this role Luke led the community program at the Australian Securities and Investments Commission.
Luke and I often see each other at events, and he always has fascinating insights to share about the sector, so I'm thrilled to finally have him on the show! In this episode we discuss how charities can attract investment aligned with their brand, the work of family foundations, the nature of endowment funds, and a lot more. This episode is a fantastic insight into financial literacy, and a must-listen for charities wanting to understand their financial options better.
Enjoy, Rachel
[Royalty free music by Ben Sound]
Welcome to Episode 34 of Good Will Hunters!
THIS EPISODE IS SPONSORED BY THE INTREPID GROUP, THE TOUR COMPANY PROVIDING SUSTAINABLE, EXPERIENCE RICH TRAVEL.
You may recall about a month ago I had Rosemary Addis on the show. Rosemary is the Founder and Chair of Impact Investing Australia, and the Australian representative on the Social Impact Investment Taskforce, among dozens of other accolades. In short, Rosemary is one of the most widely respected experts on impact investment in Australia.
The episode we aired a month ago was so well received, that Rosemary and I decided to do a 'Quarterly Impact Investment Masterclass'. Working in the development sector, the number one question I've been asked over the last 12 months is 'What is impact investment and how can I get involved?'. These episodes will aim to answer that question.
Each quarter, Rosemary and I will discuss recent trends, share examples of where impact investment is transforming organisations and causes, discuss what you can to get involved, and provide a market wrap-up of the most important things for YOU to know from the last three months.
In this episode, we’re talking about what can make it easier to participate in impact investment, we're putting a spotlight on the role for banks given the recent Royal Commission and we're talking about solutions for people with disabilities, plus a whole lot more.
Here are some of the resources we refer to in the show:
Impact Investing Australia Scaling Impact Blueprint: https://impactinvestingaustralia.com/wp-content/uploads/20181120_Scaling-Impact.pdf
GIIN Sizing the Market Report: https://thegiin.org/assets/Sizing%20the%20Impact%20Investing%20Market_webfile.pdf
HireUp: https://hireup.com.au
NZ Wellbeing Budget: https://treasury.govt.nz/sites/default/files/2019-05/b19-wellbeing-budget.pdf
UK Impact Investment Institute: https://www.investmentweek.co.uk/investment-week/news/3076640/uk-sets-up-impact-investing-institute
Enjoy, Rachel
[Royalty free music by Bensound]
Welcome to Episode 33 of Good Will Hunters, with Paul Ronalds, CEO of Save the Children. As I say at the outset of this episode, Paul is by far our most requested guest. As a highly respected CEO and thought-leader, Paul has led Save the Children Australia into one of its most innovative and successful periods yet.
THIS EPISODE IS SPONSORED BY THE INTREPID GROUP, THE TOUR COMPANY PROVIDING SUSTAINABLE, EXPERIENCE RICH TRAVEL.
In this episode we discuss why the not for profit sector is not sustainable, whether we have a generosity-shortage in Australia, the need for charities to innovative both financially and strategically, how Save the Children is doing something no other Australian charity has done before, maintaining our integrity in the Pacific, and why we need to stop the war on children. This is a powerful and honest conversation with a man who has been, and continues to be, a major catalyst for change in the sector.
If you enjoyed this episode, please leave us a review on iTunes, Soundcloud or Facebook!
Enjoy, Rachel
[Royalty free music by Ben Sound]
Welcome to Episode 32 of Good Will Hunters with Ricky Kej, Grammy Award winner, environmentalist and humanitarian.
THIS EPISODE IS SPONSORED BY THE INTREPID GROUP, THE TOUR COMPANY PROVIDING SUSTAINABLE, EXPERIENCE RICH TRAVEL.
Ricky and I first met back in February of this year, when we were both participating in the Australia India Youth Dialogue. Our first 1:1 conversation took place in the lobby of the Sofitel Melbourne, when I asked Ricky how he had slept the night before. Ricky told me that he hadn't slept at all, because he was preparing a musical score for David Attenborough.... immediately I knew this was someone I wanted to get to know better! Ricky and I have since become fantastic friends and allies, and I'm grateful that I can share his wisdom, insights and humour with all of you.
In this episode we discuss why Ricky studied dentistry even though he knew he would be a musician, the life-changing decision he made after winning a Grammy, why he believes music can help solve many of the environmental issues we face today, the important of tighter environmental regulation on corporations, Ricky's take on Australian politics, and the next big project Ricky and I are going to embark on, plus heaps more!
If you enjoyed this episode, please like and subscribe, and leave us a review on any of our podcast platforms. Are you a purpose-drive company looking for a great new brand partner? Get in touch!
Enjoy, Rachel
[Royalty free music by Ben Sound]
Welcome to Episode 31 of Good Will Hunters, with Darcy Small and Bri Kerr from Kua. Kua is a closed-loop coffee supplier, importing coffee from Uganda to sell to offices in Australia.
After signing up for an overseas field school whilst studying renewable energy engineering, Darcy found himself in Uganda with his best mate, wondering how they could give back to the community they were visiting. Later, the boys found themselves smuggling a few bags of coffee back in their luggage, and meeting with a team at the University of New South Wales to discuss how they could market the coffee to the corporate sector, and in doing so, support the livelihoods of villagers in a region of Uganda.
Now days, the coffee business is growing every day, and Kua partners with Love Mercy to help fund the Cents for Seeds Program, providing local women in Uganda with seed loans. In this episode, we discuss the impact Kua has had in Uganda, why climate change is one of the greatest threats to coffee crops and therefore livelihoods, why Darcy would love to see a marriage of solar energy and coffee, and how 'Corporate Australia' is the driving force behind many of the social movements we see today.
Darcy and Bri are inspiring, full of energy, intelligent and along with their team, are equipped to continue to make an impact in Uganda and possibly beyond, once they navigate the age old dilemma of depth versus scale.
If you enjoyed this episode, please leave us a review and like or subscribe to our social media.
Thanks, Rachel
[Royalty Free Music by Ben Sound]
Welcome to EPISODE 30 of Good Will Hunters! This week I chat to the wonderful Kat Roma Greer, Founder of Micro Galleries.
I first read about Kat in SAM Magazine (The Sydney Uni Alumni Magazine)and was intrigued by her work creating inclusive art installations in cities around around the world. The link between art and community development is not always an obvious one, but I guarantee that after this episode, you'll get it! Kat and I discussed the Umbrella Revolution in Hong Kong, the rise of create expression in the midst of a political crisis, transforming laneways in Jakarta and Kathmandu, making art inclusive, and empowering women through paint, plus lots more!
Some links you may want to check out after this episode:
The Guardian’s take on the Umbrella Revolution - https://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/sep/30/-sp-hong-kong-umbrella-revolution-pro-democracy-protests
TedX Talk with Bess Hepworth on Radical Resilience - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3MaZ1R-NpdE
And of course the Micro Galleries website - http://microgalleries.org
Enjoy! If you loved this episode, please leave us a review on iTunes or Facebook! Your support helps us share the wisdom of our guests far and wide!
[Royalty Free Music by Ben Sound]
Welcome to Episode 29 of Good Will Hunters, with Rosemary Addis.
Rosemary is the Founder and Chair of Impact Investing Australia, the Australian representative on the Social Impact Investment Taskforce established under the UK Presidency of the G8, the Founder and Chair of the Australian Advisory Board on Impact Investment, a Member of the NSW Government Social Investment Expert Advisory Group, and a Strategist for the Global Learning Exchange. Rosemary was also the first Social Innovation Strategist in Federal Government.
We chat about the latest trends in impact investment, including what NFPs, corporates and government can do to scale their impact investment efforts. Rosemary is a standout leader in the sector, and it was an honour to chat with her on this episode.
Enjoy, Rachel and the GWH Team
[Royalty free music by Bensound]
Welcome to Episode 28 of Good Will Hunters! This week I chat to Leigh Barnes, the Chief Purpose Officer at Intrepid. We chat ethical travel, personal development, supporting economic growth, and what it means to run a company that is truly "good for the world".
Enjoy! Rachel and the GWH Team.
Welcome to Episode 27 of Good Will Hunters, with Amit Singh.
Amit is the head of Global Policy at Uber, responsible for economic policy, future of work and digital marketplaces. He previously served as the Senior Economic Adviser to Australian Prime Ministers Kevin Rudd and Julia Gillard and Deputy Chief of Staff and Head of Policy to the Leader of the Opposition Bill Shorten. Earlier in his career, he worked as a capital markets lawyer and a corporate M&A adviser, as well as co-founder of a consumer startup that has grown to over 315,000 members and co-founder of Tuxedo Tuesday with Fitted for Work, an initiative to promote the economic participation of women. He is also director of the Chifley Research Centre and a member of the OECD’s Future of Work Engagement Group.
Amit and I met a few weeks back at the Australia India Youth Dialogue, the leading Track Two Dialogue between Australia and India. Our first conversation took place at a crowded tram stop on Exhibition Street, in Melbourne CBD, and within about 4 minutes of meeting Amit, I asked him to be on the podcast. In this episode, we tackle some of the most exciting, and most pressing, issues of this day and age - the future of our global workforce, the meaning of ethics, building safety nets for the most vulnerable people in our communities, fostering cross-cultural dialogue, and also why Uber Pool is responsible for many things, including a few marriages!
If you loved this episode, please leave us a review on Facebook or iTunes. And if you're keen to know more about the topics we discussed, get in touch via any of our social media pages and we'll send some more resources your way! As a start, check out this blog post about Uber in Nairobi: https://www.uber.com/en-KE/blog/introducing-uberboda-a-new-way-to-navigate-nairobi-faster/
Enjoy, Rachel and the GWH Team
Welcome to Episode 26 of Good Will Hunters, with Christopher Thorn AM, Outcome Measurement Partner at EY.
Christopher and I chat about his early aspirations of becoming a truck driver, and how he instead ended up a New York stockbroker, with a mission to prove that creating social value was good for people, and good for profits. Christopher was integral in establishing the philanthropic division of a major stockbroking firm, before eventually transitioning to EY, leading the firm's outcome measurement and long term value service-lines.
We chat about why the private sector is the key to achieving the SDGs, and how to stay "close" to the frontline of impact when working for a private sector organisation. Christopher also shares some handy resources for those looking to enter the sector!
If you enjoyed this episode, please leave us a review on iTunes or Facebook - we're always grateful for your support, as it allows us to continue to grow our audience and share the wisdom of our guests far and wide!
Enjoy, Rachel
Welcome to Season 3 of Good Will Hunters! I am so excited to be back, and can't wait to share our latest line-up of guests with you.
Kicking off Season 3 is a collaboration I recently did with Humans of Purpose host, Mike Davis. If you haven't already heard of the Humans of Purpose podcast, you should have! Mike is a superstar of the podcast world, his show has tens of thousands of listeners globally, and he has been a great inspiration to me in setting up Good Will Hunters.
Mike approached me a few months back and suggested we do a collab, in the form of a shared episode which we both air on our channels. I jumped at the idea, and I'm thrilled with the final result!
We chat about:
- How we each started our podcasts
- Pursuing a career in politics
- Reflections on the NFP sector
- Swapping preparation for authenticity
- My "word of the year" (Hint: It's surrender)
- Where we'll be ten years from now
- Lots more!
I'd love to hear your thoughts! I'd also love to know - if Mike and I were to do a live podcast recording in Sydney, would you come?! And who would you like us to interview?
Enjoy, Rachel and the GWH Team
Welcome to Episode 23 of Good Will Hunters, and our second last episode of Season 2! This week on the show we have Paul Brown. Paul is the CEO of ChildFund New Zealand, a position he has held for 14 years with industry-leading results.
In this episode, we chat about the Pacific Islands, and the new approach being taken by the NZ Government on development in the region. It's an enlightening take on our nearest neighbours and Paul's extensive leadership in the sector is apparent from the get-go.
Enjoy, Rachel and the GWH Team
Royalty free music by Bensound
Welcome to Episode 22 of Good Will Hunters!
This week, I chat to Ross Piper, CEO of Christian Super. Prior to this role, Ross was the Chief Operating Officer of World Vision Australia. Ross has over 25 years’ experience as a leader in the finance and not for profit sectors, including roles as the Head of Corporate Risk at Macquarie Group, and Senior Director of Operations for the Middle East and Eastern Europe at World Vision International, where he worked closely with peer to peer microfinance programs.
Upon his appointment as CEO, Ross remarked that Christian Super has a track record of operating with purpose and intentional impact within the Superannuation sector, and he has continued that legacy in his role.
Ross was also a Founding Board Member of Agroinvest, a microfinance bank providing credit services for agricultural enterprises in rural Serbia and Montenegro. In addition Ross was an Advisory Board Member of the Shared Value Project, a regional community of practice committed to driving adoption and implementation of shared value strategies among leaders and companies, civil society, and government organisations in Australia. Ross is currently a Board Member of the Responsible Investment Association of Australasia, and Seed Initiatives.
In this episode we chat about some of the most pertinent topics affecting the development sector at the moment, including Long Term Value (LTV), investor attitudes towards environmental and social risk, consumer-driven change (and why we've just had the most "Hostile AGM's" ever!) and whether we really need the distinction between the "For Profit" and "Not For Profit" sectors - it's a very interesting topic!
Ross is well known in the development sector, and at least half a dozen people recommended I interview him on Good Will Hunters, so I'm thrilled it finally happened - and I couldn't be happier with the result. This is one of the most enlightening and thought-provoking interviews I've done.
If you enjoyed this episode, please let us know via our social media pages @goodwillpod and leave us a rating on iTunes so we can continue to share these conversations far and wide.
Enjoy! Rachel and the GWH Team
Links:
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-07-25/super-fund-rest-sued-for-not-doing-enough-on-climate-change/10029744
https://www.ey.com/en_gl/assurance/does-nonfinancial-reporting-tell-value-creation-story
[Royalty free music by Bensound]
Welcome to Episode 21 of Good Will Hunters!
This week on the show we have Mark Harwood. Mark leads the Social Enterprise and Economic Development (SEED) Unit of World Vision, with a focus on inclusive business, economic opportunities for women and impact investment.
Mark and I met a few months back in Jakarta, where we were participating in a workshop on impact investment, and specifically how to promote gender-lens investment to the region. Mark's insights were fascinating in Jakarta, and they're equally as fascinating in this episode!
We chat about what "innovation" actually means for the SEED program, the challenges women face in securing impact investment, and the role the private sector can play now and in the future
If you enjoy this episode, please leave us a review on iTunes and connect with us on Facebook and Instagram @goodwillpod.
Enjoy, Rachel and the GWH Team
[Royalty free music by Bensound]
Welcome to Episode 20 of Good Will Hunters! This week on the show we have Alison Covington, Founder and CEO of Good360 Australia. Good360 is to manufactured goods what OzHarvest is to food - a recycler, a repurposer (if there is such a word!) and a champion of the circular economy.
Alison discovered Good360 in the USA and knew immediately that it was a concept Australia desperately needed. Australian corporations are not required to report on the end-use of their goods, meaning we have very few ways to track where unused manufactured goods end up, but we could safely assume that many go to landfill. Landfill is cheap in Australia compared to other countries, and the combination of a low cost and little transparency means that we have a waste crisis in our manufactured goods sector.
Enter Good360! Good360 takes brand new, unused goods that may have been surplus or "last season" and connects them to charities who distribute them to people in need. The stories Alison shares in this episode are truly heartwarming. Giving someone the dignity of a brand new blanket, or a toy on a birthday, or even a bath bomb (listen to the episode for that story!) can make a profound difference on their sense of self worth and equality with others. It's a seemingly obvious concept, but difficult to execute and even more difficult to scale to the heights Alison has set her target on - but I have no doubt she'll do it.
Whilst we don't discuss scaling Good360 to developing countries in this episode, I urge you to consider it as you listen, and share your thoughts with us on our social media. How would a model such as this work in a country like Papua New Guinea or Nepal? I'm intrigued to hear your ideas!
Enjoy!
Rachel and the GWH Team
[Royalty free music by Bensound]
Welcome to Episode 19 of Good Will Hunters! This week I chat to Alicia Curtis, Founder of Alyceum and 100 Women.
Like last week's guest, Dr Jemma Green, I came across Alicia at the EY Entrepreneur of the Year Awards. Alicia was nominated for her work in establishing and growing 100 Women, a giving circle intended to ignite women's philanthropy. Alicia gave a TEDx talk on this very topic in Peth last year. In that talk, Alicia spoke about how many women, traditionally, don't view themselves as philanthropists because they're not on extraordinarily high wages. When we think of philanthropists, we think of Bill Gates or Andrew Forrest, not ourselves! Alicia and her team at 100 Women are out to change this perception, teaching us that we can all be philanthropists. You'll have to listen to the episode to find out how..!
Alicia and I also chat about why we should all consider joining a not for profit board, and the skills needed from modern day board members. I am inspired by every guest I have on this show but this episode in particular was like a call to action for me, to join a board, to become a philanthropist and to never shy away from leadership.
Links:
- Whitepaper on joining NFP Boards - https://alyceum.com.au/launching-the-white-paper-4-strategic-reasons-to-support-your-staff-to-seek-a-not-for-profit-board-position/ -100 Women - https://100women.com.au
If you enjoyed this episode, please let us know by leaving a review on iTunes! And if you have a great idea for a guest we should have on the show or a topic we should cover, please get in touch via our social media channels!
Thanks, Rachel and the GWH Team
[Royalty free music by Bensound]
Welcome to Episode 18 of Good Will Hunters, with Dr Jemma Green, Co-Founder and CEO of PowerLedger, the leading peer to peer marketplace for renewable energy trading.
A few weeks ago I attended the EY Entrepreneur of the Year Awards in Sydney. Jemma was nominated, and won! Just days earlier, Jemma was on Nekker Island with Richard Branson himself celebrating a whole different award. Suffice to say, Jemma is on a winning streak. But in this episode, Jemma explains why she doesn't have that winning feeling yet - PowerLedger has a huge decade ahead of it, not least due to Jemma's vision of PowerLedger playing a significant role in achieving the Paris Climate Goals and democratising energy, for good.
I'm the first to admit that I don't really "get" blockchain. I also haven't made an effort to understand it, until I attended an event a few weeks ago showcasing the incredible impact blockchain can have on conservation efforts (check out this website for more on that: https://www.wwf.org.au/get-involved/panda-labs/wwf-australia-and-blockchain). From that point onwards, I was intent on showcasing the impact blockchain can have on social change in this show.
In this episode, Jemma and I discuss how PowerLedger enables the democratisation of renewable energy trading, by allowing households to sell their solar energy, harvested from their own roof, and be paid immediately. The process is underpinned by a blockchain, which keeps tally of who's selling and buying. There's also a cryptocurrency involved - in fact, PowerLedger was the first Australian business to do an Initial Coin Offering (ICO) - I view Jemma and her team as new age, very tech-savvy, super intelligent eco-warriors.
Jemma and I talk about much more than blockchain in this episode too -we talk about leadership, eco-villages, serendipitous meetings, climate goals and more.
If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a review on iTunes and let us know what you liked most via our social media channels @goodwillpod.
Have you got a great idea for an episode? Or want to collaborate? Get in touch! We'd love to hear from you.
Enjoy! Rachel and the GWH Team
Some links:
https://www.powerledger.io https://gbbcouncil.org
[Royalty free music by Bensound]
Welcome to Episode 17 of Good Will Hunters!
Phew - have we got a great episode for you today!
Simon Doble is an inventor, an entrepreneur, a CEO, and one of the kindest and most compassionate individuals I've ever met. The SolarBuddy story is an amazing one. SolarBuddy started because Simon was outraged by the fact that so many people globally were living in energy poverty, and so few knew about it. Energy poverty means a person uses toxic kerosene lamps to cook at night, and it means a student can't do their homework because they can't see the pages past sunset. It means that during the evening, very little can be done because there is simply no light - this is a powerful metaphor.
As I aptly (albeit accidentally)say in this episode, you'll "see the light" when you hear Simon's story. Simon is inspiring - he saw a problem, he invented a solution, and then he created a social enterprise around it. Not only is SolarBuddy wildly successful, it also enables Australians to engage in international development in a brand new way - by creating lights and writing letters, and knowing that those very lights will be held by school students in Papua New Guinea, in South Africa, or in one of 11 other countries. Simon is lighting up lives and connecting people on all corners of the globe - it is development in it's best form. It's the sort of development that reminds me why I love what I do.
I hope you love this episode as much as I do - I know I say this every week, but this one's possibly my favourite yet.
I suggest you listen to this episode alongside Episode 1 with Dr. Gen Nelson - Gen and Simon are great mates and colleagues and work miracles* together in PNG (not actually miracles - just really great work done by really great people!)
Please share your thoughts on this episode with us on our social media, and please check out the SolarBuddy website to learn more!
Enjoy! Rachel and the GWH team
Welcome to Episode 16 of Good Will Hunters!
This week on the show I chat with Kaitlin Tait, the Director of YHER, a part of YGAP which focuses on supporting female entrepreneurs in the Pacific, Bangladesh and parts of Africa. Kaitlin and husband Aaron started Spark International back in 2008, after getting caught up in the violent election crisis that plagued Kenya that year (much like our guest from two episodes ago, Annabelle Chauncy!). Spark International grew into a highly impactful organisation, and merged with YGAP in 2015 - you may recall we had YGAP Co-Founder Elliot Costello on the show in Episode 6!
In this Episode, Kaitlin and I discuss why female entrepreneurs need specific, tailored support - generally, female entrepreneurs are less likely to attract the same amount of investment capital as their male counterparts, despite being MORE likely to demonstrate innovation... it's a frustrating reality and one that Kaitlin and her team work tirelessly to change.
Kaitlin is considered to be of the most influential women in the development sector in Australia, and it's clear why when you listen to this episode! I've noticed a trend - all of the outstanding female leaders we have on this show are humble, thoughtful and take a pause before answering questions, ensuring that their statements have the same truth and integrity that have defined their careers. It's inspiring - and it makes me so grateful to get to bring this show to you every week.
Enjoy! Rachel and the GWH Team
Welcome to Episode 15 of Good Will Hunters! This week I chat to Rosie Wheen, CEO of WaterAid Australia.
I firstly wanted to take a moment to thank you for your support since Season 2 kicked off a couple of weeks ago. I’ve been really enjoying recording these episodes and never take for granted what a privilege it is to chat with leaders in the sector every week, and to share my learnings with you. We’ve got a really exciting line up for season two, and I’m so thrilled to hear from more listeners every week.
Today on the show we have a woman I have admired for some time. Rosie has been on my podcast wishlist since the very beginning. She leads WaterAid, one of my favourite not for profits in Australia, and has a humble, grounded, servant style of leadership that really resonates with me. In this episode we chat about access to water, and the ways that water access impacts on gender equality. We chat about the importance of access to water and sanitation facilities for women, and we also chat about water futures. I feel incredibly passionate about access to utilities including water and electricity; it’s often a less attractive part of development when compared to discussions on health and education. But access to utilities, in particular water, can determine so much about the opportunities and the capabilities that a person will have in their life. And that’s exactly why this discussion is so important.
Enjoy!
Rachel and the GWH Team
Welcome to Episode 14 of Good Will Hunters, with Annabelle Chauncy, the Founder and CEO of School for Life Foundation.
Annabelle would be well-known to many of us in the not for profit community. I first heard of Annabelle and the School for Life Foundation at a conference a few years ago, and then my memory was triggered when I saw a segment on television about a year ago, showcasing the incredible work the Foundation is doing in Uganda. I resolved to get Annabelle on the show, and after a series of serendipitous events and chance meetings, it happened!
Annabelle was sincere, relaxed and incredibly clear on the vision she leads her Foundation towards. Emphasising the power of education, Annabelle and I chat about the origins of School of Life, the challenges of getting seed funding, why staying true to your mission is more important than gaining new investors, and how important a strong and united local team is. A true leader and pioneer in the international development sector, there is a lot to be learnt from Annabelle's visionary custodianship of her organisation.
As always, we love hearing your feedback. What did you learn? What surprised you? What could we do differently?
Enjoy! Rachel and the GWH team.
Welcome to Episode 13 of Good Will Hunters, and our first episode of Season 2! In this episode, I chat with Tom Perry, Pacific Communications Lead at the World Bank. Tom and I worked together years ago when I was also at the World Bank, and ever since I’ve been so impressed and inspired by his work.
Tom and I chat about virtual reality, investing in communications, creating platforms for storytelling, regionalism, communications for development, and what success looks like in ten years. This is one of my favourite episodes to date, and I’d love to hear your feedback as always.
Enjoy, Rach and the GWH Team.
Welcome to Episode 12 of Good Will Hunters! This week on the show I chat with Jeremy Meltzer.
Jeremy is a socially and environmentally conscious entrepreneur and expert in ‘business for purpose'. He is the Founder of i=Change, the world's first cause-marketing platform and Australia's fastest-growing social enterprise tech startup.
i=Change partners with global brands, who give back a portion of profits from every sale and uniquely empower their customers to choose where it goes. The company has positively impacted the lives of over 90,000 people in 14 countries.
In this episode, we chat about how i=Change is transforming the buying journey of customers, by creating experiential purchases. In doing this, Jeremy and his team are connecting the retail sector to international development in brand new ways. We chat about radical transparency (one of my favourite concepts of 2018!) and Jeremy very generously shares the emotional journey that led him to where he is today. His courage to take on issues like gender violence, and toxic misconceptions of masculinity is utterly inspiring and it is abundantly clear to me (and no doubt you!) why Jeremy is such a revered speaker the world over.
Welcome to Episode 11 of Good Will Hunters! This week on the show I chat with Maddy Vaughan, the Senior Programs Manager at Adara Development. Adara is proof that the power of business can be used to improve the lives of people in poverty. The Adara Group consists of two Australian corporate advisory businesses, Adara Advisors and Adara Partners, whose sole purpose is to support the non-profit international development organisation, Adara Development. Together, the organisations work to improve health and education for women, children and communities in need. The Adara businesses fund all core support costs of Adara Development, allowing 100% of other donations received to go directly to our projects.
Maddy and I chat about Adara’s programs in Uganda and Nepal, and why being "100 metres wide and 100 miles deep" can be a great thing! Adara focuses on doing small projects to the highest possible standard, exemplifying best practice or “gold standard development” in all that they do. Their impact is being felt far and wide, and I was so moved by the incredible stories of success Maddy shared with me. From building neonatal intensive care units in Uganda, to educating girls at risk of trafficking in Nepal, this is an organisation that demonstrate the unbelievable impact the private sector and the not for profit sector can have when they work together and pioneer innovative, groundbreaking models of funding and operating.
Hello, all! Welcome to Episode 10 of Good Will Hunters! Can you believe we’re at 10 episodes?! I can’t think of a more perfect guest to mark this milestone with than the wonderful, bubbly, intelligent, hilarious Clare Press. Clare is the Sustainability Editor At Large of Australian Vogue and an absolute powerhouse in the world of ethical fashion. Our conversation is funny, timely and inspiring, for anyone who wears clothes (AKA most of us, right?!) and wants to be a more responsible consumer, and help change the world in the process.
Check out the Oxfam ‘What She Makes’ Campaign here - https://whatshemakes.oxfam.org.au
Asian Floor Wage Alliance - https://asia.floorwage.org
Ethical Fashion Initiative - http://ethicalfashioninitiative.org
To learn more about Mimco’s work with EFi, check this out - https://www.mimco.com.au/mimco-gives-back/ethical-fashion-initiative
And lastly, to pre-order Clare’s fantastic new novel, go here - https://www.mup.com.au/books/rise-resist-paperback-softback
Royalty free music by Bensound.
Welcome to Episode 9 of Good Will Hunters! This week on the show we have Giles Gunesekera. Giles is the CEO of the Global Impact Initiative (GII). The Initiative works with a variety of organisations to create impact investments, seeking both a positive financial return and a positive social or environmental impact. The business creates bespoke investment solutions that map the UN Sustainable Development Goals. The Global Impact Initiative is currently in the process of developing 10 different impact investing mandates totalling over $2bn AUD. Giles has over 20 years’ experience building and development teams, businesses and distribution strategies for global enterprises. In 2017, Giles received an Outstanding Alumnus Award from Oxford University for creating an innovative, sustainable business that generates positive social impact.
In this interview, Giles provides a great “Introduction to Impact Investing" - I was learning new things in the first 5 minutes! We chat about the importance of aligning with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and why so much of the progress on the SDGs is actually made in the corporate sector. We chat about the UN Global Compact, and Giles’ experience attending the UN General Assembly (UNGA) in 2017. Most exciting to me, is our discussion on investing in women and girls - impact investment holds so much promise in this area. GII has developed a world first impact investment focused on both women and girls and I can’t wait to see how it unfolds in the coming years. If you work in the private sector, this interview is sure to make you think bigger about the potential you and your organisation have to catalyse immense social and global change. If you work in the not for profit sector, this interview will have you more eager than ever to partner with your friends in the private sector. Basically anyone who works anywhere will get a lot out of this discussion!
1:56 - Impact investing 3:42 - The foundations of the Global Impact Initiative 9:35 - Aligning with the Sustainable Development Goals 15:03 - The UN Global Compact 17:36 - The worlds first impact investment in women and girls 23:15 - Investing in renewable energy 30:40 - Slum regeneration and rethinking cities
To learn more about the Global Impact Initiative, check out their website at https://globalimpactinitiative.com.au
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Welcome to Episode 8 of Good Will Hunters! On the show this week we have Andrea De Almeida. Andrea is the Executive Director of B-Lab, the not for profit organisation which supports the community of B Corps in Australia. Prior to this, Andrea worked for Social Ventures Australia where she was the Director of Venture Philanthropy. In this role, Andrea was responsible for incubating and testing innovative solutions to complex social problems. Andrea holds a Bachelor of Public Policy and Management and a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Melbourne. In addition, Andrea is a Vincent Fairfax Fellow, enabling her to work with other senior executives throughout Australia to undertake an advanced leadership experience.
In this episode, we discuss the rise of B-Corps in Australia, and why more and more businesses are looking for an independent certification that distinguishes them as being socially and environmentally responsible. In the wake of the Financial Services Royal Commission, many are questioning the ethics of some of our largest businesses. Yet, more and more businesses are taking steps to expand their corporate social responsibility, become a social enterprise, attain B-Corp certification or play with impact investment. In this interview, we discuss these trends and more, including why law reform in Australia would enable more businesses to legally enshrine their mission and protect their Directors in the process.
Andrea’s wealth of experience has equipped her with fascinating and important insights into the future of business and international development, and why we already have the tools we need to redefine profit, purpose and progress.
1:45 - What is a B-Corp? 2:55 - B-Lab 9:22 - Becoming a B-Corp 12:48 - Redefining business culture 16:30 - Building the B-Lab community 19:16 - The Benefit Company 20:25 - Impact Investment 25:50 - Why business MUST be a force for good 30:30 - Inclusive capitalism 36:00 - Business and international development
Check out our article on this weeks episode, over at the Lowy Interpreter - https://www.lowyinstitute.org/the-interpreter/business-aid-and-aiding-business
You can learn more about B-Lab Australia via their website - https://bcorporation.com.au
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Welcome to Episode 7 of Good Will Hunters! In todays episode I chat with Georgina Camp, the CEO of Huber Social, an innovator bringing a fresh approach to solving complex social challenges. Georgie was introduced to me by Caitlin Barrett, the CEO of Love Mercy Foundation who we had on the show a few weeks ago. Georgie and Caitlin worked together on assessing the impact of the Cents for Seeds Program in Uganda. Georgie’s passion for reinventing the way we measure social value and reconsidering what truly contributes to wellbeing is apparent from the moment she starts speaking! She’s a trail-blazing leader, innovator and thinker and I’m thrilled to introduce you to her today.
Georgie and I chat about the importance of measuring social value alongside financial value, and the method Huber Social uses to determine the contribution a product or service makes to an individuals wellbeing. We chat about Amartya Sen’s ‘Capabilities Approach’ and other methodologies for analysing wellbeing, and chat about what the future looks like for the world of impact measurement. It’s an inspiring, technical, thought-provoking discussion. Also, unfortunately we had some technical issues in this discussion which you may pick up on at times! We record via Skype so this is bound to happen occasionally.
To learn more about Huber Social, check out their website at www.hubersocial.com.au
1:40 - The origins of Huber Social 4:04 - Complex social problems 6:24 - Connecting wellbeing with wealth 9:03 - Measuring social value 14:08 - Huber Social’s work in Uganda 20:00 - Ensuring women participate meaningfully 22:30 - The New Economics 33:25 - Redefining value in the private sector 35:48 - Measuring development more effectively
If you’re enjoying the podcast, please leave us a review on iTunes. This podcast is hosted by Rachel Mason Nunn. Rachel has worked in development in Papua New Guinea, Timor Leste and throughout the Pacific Islands, including as a consultant for the World Bank as well work in the not for profit sector. Rachel has a Masters in Applied Anthropology and Participatory Development from the Australian National University. She is passionate about reinventing the role of business and the private sector in international development, by reconceptualising notions of progress, profit and purpose.
Looking for some other great podcasts? Check out Humans of Purpose, Dumbo Feather, Inspiring Social Entrepreneurs, and Binge Thinking, to name but a few!
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Welcome to Episode 6 of Good Will Hunters! On the show this week we have Elliot Costello, the Co-Founder and Former CEO of YGAP. In this episode, Elliot and I chat about investing in entrepreneurs, why more not-for-profits should consider merging, the value of volunteering and where YGAP might be by 2028.
Since its inception, YGAP has invested in 397 impact entrepreneurs, on the basis that investing in local people is the most effective way to create impactful change in a community. The entrepreneurs receive ongoing guidance, and YGAP is there as a beacon of support, through success or failure. YGAP’s success throughout African and Asian countries has earned them a reputation of being true innovators and game-changers in the Australian development landscape. As always, we’d love to hear your feedback on this episode!
Also, check out this article for the Lowy Interpreter on the topic of entrepreneurship and the informal economy: https://www.lowyinstitute.org/the-interpreter/aid-and-new-face-entrepreneurship
4:05 - Identifying the ‘Impact Entrepreneur’ 6:18 - YGAP’s ten year journey 11:23 - Brand, Board and Ego 15:34 - Asking the existential questions 17:30 - Development ideologies 24:49 - The value of volunteering 27:56 - Working in the Pacific 31:04 - Entrepreneurship and the Informal Economy 34:34 - Successes in the sector 38:30 - YGAP by 2028?
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Welcome to Episode 5 of Good Will Hunters! This week, I chat with Caitlin Barrett, the CEO of Love Mercy Foundation, a tremendous organisation doing groundbreaking work in Uganda. We talk about the challenges of operating an NGO in Northern Uganda, building sustainable livelihoods, providing high quality healthcare at a low cost, accessing markets and much more.
War ravaged Uganda has it’s fair share of development challenges. This is most evident in the North of the country, where road infrastructure remains poor and communities are disconnected from markets, and experience a lack of formal employment opportunities and a lack of healthcare. Flashback to 2010 - Caitlin and a passionate group of friends entered Uganda with the mission of creating a sustainable program that could improve the lives of those experiencing famine and chronic poverty. Fast forward eight years, and Love Mercy continues to impact the lives of thousands of women and their families through incredible initiatives like the Cents for Seeds Program and the Kristina Health Clinic.
It can be so difficult for organisations like Love Mercy to know whether their programs are having the effect they’re deigned to. With some help from the wonderful team at Huber Social, Love Mercy discovered that their Cents for Seeds Program was impacting the lives of the women involved in some phenomenal ways. Obtaining the data wasn’t without its challenges - many of the women involved in the program are illiterate, and finding ways to enable them to engage meaningfully was a hurdle the team had to overcome - and overcome it they did! The longer the woman had been involved with the program, the greater their key development indicators were. So the project continues, and Love Mercy continues to partner with communities and transform their development prospects. How can you sustain a rural health clinic where the clientele pays only a minimal fee? Why is it so important that NGOs commit to long term partnership with communities, but also avoid becoming “part of the furniture”? And where does Love Mercy hope to be by 2020? Find out all this and more in this weeks episode.
2:05 - The origins of Love Mercy Foundation 6:10 - Why operate an NGO in Uganda? 8:35 - Uganda and the African continent 9:30 - Unexpected encounters with communities 12:10 - Success in the Cents for Seeds Program 17:35 - Overcoming the challenge of illiteracy 22:10 - Improving wellbeing through access to water 25:10 - Why NGOs need to commit to staying 28:20 - Sustainable livelihoods through Cents for Seeds 33:11 - The importance of financial literacy 35:12 - Access to markets to buy and sell 37:40 - The effect of civil war on infrastructure development 39:50 - How to sustain a rural health clinic 45:10 - What’s next for Love Mercy?
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Welcome to Episode 4 of Good Will Hunters! In this episode I chat with Richard Moore, the former deputy-director of AusAID. We talk about our greatest aid successes, and our one big aid failure. We discuss how to remain relevant, why we need to confront our critics, the rise of Chinese aid, and why we really need to stop talking about aid budget and start talking about the quality of our aid, plus lots more. Richard drops some real truth-bombs in this episode - this is a discussion that anyone working in the aid sector, or interested in aid, really needs to hear.
We have endemic "problems without borders” globally, we’re all developing countries now and no country can tackle all of the challenges they face unilaterally. Global cooperation is vital to sustaining progress on human development and yet our aid sector has become more insular than ever. Traditional western ideals on economic growth and development are breaking down, and increasingly countries are refusing to accept the development status quo and instead look to working with new and emerging donors, like China. A major part of combating these challenges is getting our discussion right here in Australia, by being conscious of the way we talk about development and moving away from our obsession with aid budgets and towards a more qualitative, theoretical discussion on the future of our aid.
This is a big discussion so settle in, get comfortable and enjoy! You may agree with some points and you may disagree with others. Please join our discussion on Facebook and share your feedback, we love hearing it!
3:40 - Australia’s aid successes 10:12 - The single biggest failure of the aid sector 12:13 - How do we ensure our aid stays relevant? 16:25 - Confronting our critics 20:42 - Threats to the Western ‘growth and development’ model 26:34 - The rise of Chinese Aid 32:22 - We’re all developing countries now 39:19 - How to talk about development properly 44:31 - Why we really, really need to stop talking about our aid budget
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Welcome to Episode 3 of Good Will Hunters! In this episode, I interview Beth Eggleston, the Co-Director of the Humanitarian Advisory Group. We discuss humanitarian emergencies, IKEA, entrepreneurship, disaster capitalism, Google, and what exactly an “unsolicited bilateral donation” is - it’ll make you laugh and cringe - plus loads more! Enjoy and as always, please share your feedback on our social media channels. I’d love you to join the discussion!
2:20 - The origins of the Humanitarian Advisory Group 4:58 - Why we must work with the private sector 7:03 - IKEA’s Solar Powered Flat Pack Refugee Shelters 7:48 - Innovation x Humanitarianism 10:52 - Why technology is not always “inclusive” 12:40 - Disaster Capitalism 18:00 - Entrepreneurship in a humanitarian crisis 21:05 - The Development Continuum 24:15 - Disaster Diplomacy 29:50 - Meaningful participation and leadership 33:06 - Localising humanitarian responses 36:50 - Complex emergencies versus simple emergencies 39:50 - Why you should never send a bra to a humanitarian crisis 42:10 - Sending cash is better than sending “stuff” 44:10 - Defining a “good” humanitarian response
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Welcome to Episode 2 of Good Will Hunters, with Professor Paul James. Today on the show we discuss the United Nations Global Compact, why relocating “slums” is so difficult, what exactly makes a good city, why resiliency is a dangerous word, and the enormous potential of Antarctica for international cooperation, plus so much more.
2:22 - UN Global Compact 4:04 - Circles of Sustainability 5:34 - The Cities Program in the UN Global Compact 6:00 - How to relocate a “slum” and enable communities to flourish 8:10 - Why the “bulldozing technique” will not work 11:07 - What makes a good city? 13:45 - The Circles of Sustainability method 17:30 - Defining resilience 21:02 - Challenges for Port Moresby 23:50 - Steps in reinventing a city 25:30 - Participatory Budgeting 26:58 - Participatory development - strengths and challenges 33:10 - Can you fix a city that’s already been built? 37:00 - Embracing discomfort 40:42 - The enormous potential of Antarctica
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Welcome to Episode 1 of Good Will Hunters, with Dr. Genevieve Nelson. Today, we discuss the organisation Gen leads, the Kokoda Track Foundation, and the incredible impact the organisation has had on PNG. We talk state failure, achieving development goals, walking the Kokoda Track, training teachers in the most remote parts of the country, and why collaboration with the private sector can be a game-changer for civil society, plus loads more!
1:40 - PNG is not a failed state 2:50 - PNG and the MDGs/SDGs 6:00 - PNG’s natural resources and land ownership 7:08 - Australia’s legacy of camaraderie in PNG 10:07 - The evolution of KTF in PNG 12:20 - Poverty as a lack of basic services 14:52 - Development in the Kokoda Track catchment 18:00 - Challenges of collaboration in PNG 19:10 - Potential of tourism for development in PNG 21:40 - The life-changing experience of walking the Kokoda Track 22:53 - KTFs Archer Leadership Program 27:12 - Corporate partnerships - vital to success 28:38 - KTF’s Teach for Tomorrow Program - one of my favourite parts! 35:12 - Australia-PNG opportunities for private and civil collaboration 37:56 - KTF and Solar Buddy tackling energy poverty 40:32 - Non-traditional sources of aid 42:48 - The importance of Australian Aid to PNG 45:10 - Private sector has a ‘third seat' on the aid table
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