Bob Carr (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Hansard source

The answers to the honourable senator's questions are as follows:

(1)   Under the AusAID NGO Cooperation Program (ANCP) (which in 2011-12 provides funding of $98.1 million to 43 accredited Australian NGOs to undertake over 600 international development activities across approximately 50 countries), NGOs may use up to ten per cent of their funding to raise awareness of development issues within Australia. AusAID's guidelines (available at http://www.ausaid.gov.au/ngos/pdfs/ancp-awareness-raising-guidelines.pdf) restrict activities to those which meet at least one of three objectives, these are: promoting transparency in the use of public funds; enhancing development effectiveness; and increasing public understanding of development issues.

  Development awareness raising activities will not be supported if they include any form of fundraising, promote a particular religious adherence, build public support for increases in aid funding or lobbying for changes in aid policy, or mobilise members of the public to undertake advocacy in relation to the aid program.

Of 43 eligible NGOs, there are 22 who have opted to use ANCP funding to engage in development awareness raising activities in 2011-12. The approximate portion of ANCP funding used for these activities is provided in the table below. AusAID has also provided separate funding of $317,200 to World Vision Australia in 2011-12 to conduct 'One Just World' public discussion forums.

(2) AusAID funding to NGOs to undertake development awareness raising activities between 2008 and 2012 is as follows:

(3) NGOs which receive grants under the ANCP are required to provide AusAID with annual financial and project plans and reports. Annual plans are required to outline objectives, outputs and targets for all activities, including development awareness activities in Australia. These are assessed against the objectives in AusAID's guidelines and are subject to approval before funding is granted.