10. PHIL TWYFORD (Labour) Link to this
to the Minister of Foreign Affairs
Has he had discussions with other international development donors about his planned structural changes to NZAID and his plans to switch its focus from poverty elimination to economic growth?
When he met Mr Eckhard Deutscher of the OECD’s Development Assistance Committee last month, did he brief Mr Deutscher, one of the world’s leading aid officials, on his plans for NZAID?
Hon MURRAY McCULLY Link to this
In the course of that meeting I would have generally discussed a number of matters but I cannot recall specifically briefing him on any detail of the review that is under way. The response that I gave to the primary question was motivated by the fact that I have, in the course of meetings with Ministers in major donor nations—such as Australia, the UK, and France, amongst others—outlined the process by which the Government is engaged in a refocusing of New Zealand’s overseas development aid approach in its efforts to improve efficiency. I have found the responses to the Government’s plans most encouraging.
John HayesHon MURRAY McCULLY Link to this
Prior to the 2008 election the National Party expressed a number of concerns about the operation of NZAID, especially in the light of two highly critical reports by the Auditor-General. As a result, a commitment was made in the election policy that, and I quote: “A National Government will review the operation of agencies that deliver aid, to ensure that aid expenditure is effective and efficiently delivered.” It is my recollection that rather more people voted for the National Party and that policy than for the proponents of the policies that we criticised. The National Government is now keeping faith with the voters by conducting the review it promised.
Can the Minister explain why Mr Deutscher reported to other OECD nations, after meeting Mr McCully last month, that the Minister told him the Government intended to pursue a stable, bipartisan approach to foreign affairs, including development cooperation, that built on continuity and should not lead to major changes, when the reality is that he is looking at entirely changing the structure and policy of NZAID?
Hon MURRAY McCULLY Link to this
Of course, I have no ministerial responsibility for a report that an OECD official might have filed, and I am not going to comment in the Chamber on its accuracy. I will say to the member that this Government, unlike its predecessor, is intent on doing, after the election, precisely what it promised in its election policies before the election.
Is the reason the Minister failed to properly brief Mr Deutscher on his plans for NZAID that his plans fly in the face of international best practice, contradict the last two reviews of our aid programme by the OECD, and would put New Zealand out of step with most other Western nations?
Hon MURRAY McCULLY Link to this
I have made it very clear to the member that the reason the Government has embarked on this review is that before the election the National Party stated, as a matter of policy, that a review would be conducted. It does not matter to me what any international organisation might say or what reports it might write. If the National Party has made a commitment in its election policy to conduct a review, then the Government will conduct a review. The member, like everyone else, should be patient and find out the results of that review in due course.
Phil Twyford: I seek leave to table a report from the chairman of the Development Assistance Committee of the OECD to other countries of the OECD, dated 5 March, in which he reports on his meeting with the Minister.
Mr SPEAKER