Good Will Hunters

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 h

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

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 Rachel Mason Nunn 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%20i

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!

CID '23 Civic Space Panel by Good Will Hunters

CID '23 Emeline Siale, on Civic Space by Good Will Hunters

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=1*bws6sv*_ga*NzY1NDkwOTI2LjE2ODc5MjI0NjI.*_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 launches https://devpolicy.org/a-short-history-of-australian-aid-policy-launches-20230728/ The promise of blended finance by Brigid O'Farrell and Purdie Bowden https://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

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 est

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://ww

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

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,

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

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 epis