AusAid

Although Australia's aid budget is below the UN suggestion of 0.70% of Gross National Income (GNI), at .25% it still translates to a lot of money. To best deploy these funds to needy causes there must be a strategy and method for getting value for money. AusAid is the government authority charged with the responsibility of spending the aid budget. They work closely with NGO's (Non-government organisations) to turn these funds into aid that will fulfill their objectives.

The objectives are varied, but revolve around long term and short term initatives. The short term objectives are usually based on disaster relief (eg: 2004 Tsunami) whre emergency medical and food drops are required. The long term objectives are based around education (seen as a means of overcoming imbedded poverty), and good governance(aimed at encouraging better and stronger political systems to ensure corruption and civil unrest is kept at bay).

The work being done by AusAid is indisputably beneficial to all parties. The issue is whether the aid is being deployed effectively and efficiently. By that I mean, does AusAid spend the aid budget in the best possible way?