Devpolicy Talks

Ume Wainetti is National Coordinator of the PNG Family and Sexual Violence Action Committee (FSVAC), the body charged with coordinating the national response to gender-based violence.She has years of experience in leading PNG’s response to gender-based violence.

In this public forum, Ume Wainetti explored the gains made, the promising approaches, and the challenges ahead for an effective response to gender-based violence in PNG. In particular, she argued for the critical need to fill the missing gap in case management to ensure that survivors in PNG have a better chance of getting the services and support they need.

Presentation slides are available from the Devpolicy events page: https://devpolicy.crawford.anu.edu.au/event-extra/past

In his universally acclaimed and award-winning book The Bottom Billion, Paul Collier argues that fifty failed states-home to the poorest one billion people on earth-pose the central challenge of the developing world in the twenty-first century. In this public lecture, Professor Collier explored how the private sector can engage to help the bottom billion.

[Note: Variable sound level as Professor Collier paced at varying distances from recorder during presentation]

The annual aid budget is the most important event for the aid sector. And it is a time when the entire sector converges on Canberra for the budget lock up. Devpolicy seized this opportunity to host a morning-after aid budget breakfast at the ANU where we provided fresh but in-depth analysis on what the budget means for the sector. Devpolicy's Tony Swan and Stephen Howes delivered their analysis. We also heard from Angus Barnes, a member of the executive at IDC Australia, and the new head of Oxfam Australia Helen Szoke. This podcast includes Q&A from the event.

Presentation slides are available from the Devpolicy events page: https://devpolicy.crawford.anu.edu.au/event-extra/past

Devpolicy Research Associate Tess Newton Cain sits down with Sina Retzlaff, Samoa country representative for the Pacific Leadership Program.

A full transcript is available here: http://devpolicy.org/pacific-conversations/3.%20Transcript%20of%20interview%20with%20Sina%20Retzlaff.docx

Blog post available here: http://devpolicy.org/in-conversation-with-sina-retzlaff-20130522-2/

Devpolicy Research Associate Tess Newton Cain sits down with Sir Mekere Morauta, Review Leader of the 2013 Pacific Plan Review.

A full transcript is available here: http://devpolicy.org/pacific-conversations/2.%20Transcript%20of%20interview%20with%20Sir%20Mekere%20Morauta.doc

Blog post available here: http://devpolicy.org/in-conversation-with-sir-mekere-morauta-20130408/

Rachel Kyte, Vice President for Sustainable Development at the World Bank, spoke recent at the Development Policy Centre about the risk a 4 degree warmer world poses for development and the impact of sea-level rise, heat waves and extreme weather events globally, and in Australia and Oceania. Everyone will be affected by the changing climate, but the poor and vulnerable will suffer most.

She argued that we must avoid a 4 degree warmer world and prepare for 2 degrees, and highlights action that would make the biggest difference. However, while climate change is a major threat, inclusive green growth is an opportunity. Ms Kyte outlined the World Bank Group’s efforts to catalyze climate-smart development and green growth.

Rachel Kyte became Vice President of Sustainable Development at the World Bank in September, 2011. As such, she has overall responsibilities for the organization’s global work in agriculture, environment, energy, infrastructure, urban, and social development, along with global public goods issues in those areas. Prior to her appointment, she was the International Finance Corporation’s (IFC) Vice President for Business Advisory Services and a member of IFC’s Management Team.

This seminar was presented by the Development Policy Centre and the Centre for Climate Economics and Policy at the Crawford School of Public Policy at The Australian National University.

Presentation slides are available from the Devpolicy events page: https://devpolicy.crawford.anu.edu.au/event-extra/past

Frank Jotzo, Senior Lecturer at the ANU's Crawford School of Public Policy, sits down with Rachely Kyte, Vice President for Sustainable Development at the World Bank. In this brief but wide ranging interview they discuss the risk a 4 degree warmer world poses for development, Australia's approach to combating climate change (in particular its price on carbon emissions), and the World Bank's role in combatting climate change.

Few would argue that a country’s development trajectory is not crucially influenced by its government’s ability to manage public resources. The stability of the economy, the delivery of basic services such as education and health - even the legitimacy of the state itself - all greatly depend on effective and equitable public finance management. In fragile and conflict-affected states, public finance reforms have been high on the agenda for both donors and governments alike -- and a key part of the picture has been how aid is delivered and managed. But what kinds of reforms and what kind of instruments have proved the most successful? And how can the international community best support the governments of fragile states?

This seminar will explore these questions from the perspectives of both research and practice. Marcus Manuel and Alastair McKechnie will talk on the lessons emerging from ODI’s Budgets Strengthening Initiative, a project which provides ‘arms-length’ support to the governments of fragile states to build better budgets through a team of international experts and in-country advisors. Edward Hedger will present the findings of a major Overseas Development Institute (ODI)/World Bank study into public finance reforms in post-conflict countries.

This seminar was presented by the Development Policy Centre at the Crawford School of Public Policy at The Australian National University. The seminar was moderated by Crawford School Senior Lecturer and Devpolicy Research Associate Bjoern Dressel.

Presentation slides are available from the Devpolicy events page: https://devpolicy.crawford.anu.edu.au/event-extra/past

Devpolicy Research Associate Tess Newton Cain sits down with Peter Forau, Director General of the Melanesian Spearhead Group Secretariat, discussing their successes throughout 25 years of operation.

A full transcript is available here: http://devpolicy.org/pacific-conversations/1.%20Transcript%20of%20interview%20with%20Peter%20Forau.docx

A blog post is available here: http://devpolicy.org/peter-forau-on-why-the-melanesian-spearhead-group-is-a-success-20130305/

In this podcast Devpolicy Director Stephen Howes sits down with Michael Clemens, a Senior Fellow at the Centre for Global Development and migration expert. The main topics covered were:

- The US Seasonal Workers Program

- Skilled vs. unskilled migration

- Fostering skilled migration

- The Australia Pacific Technical College