Improving effectiveness of Australian aid to the Island-Pacific

This research investigates the impact and effectiveness of Australian aid to the island states of the South Pacific with a view to improving its effectiveness. Australia faces a security threat from and a socio-economic crises within several of its small island neighbours, thus underlining the urgency of this investigation. Recent Australian aid to the region has been tied to security and humanitarian objectives in addition to developmental outcomes. This raises important researchable questions about the conditions underlying development in the region, and the context, purpose and means by which aid is conceived and delivered. Outputs from this research will feed directly into policy making.