List of recommendations

2.119The Committee recommends that the Australian Government continues to work towards securing bipartisan support for the international development program, including through indexation, for the long-term growth of the aid program.

2.120The Committee recommends that the Australian Government, following consultations with Australian non-government organisations and Pacific Civil Society Organisations, prioritises funding for Civil Society Organisations within the Official Development Assistance budget.

2.121The Committee recommends that the Australian Government examines the share of Overseas Development Assistance received by for-profit managing contractors, with a view to increasing the share received by Pacific civil society organisations and Australian non-government organisations.

2.122The Committee recommends that the Australian Government respond to the stated priority of the Papua New Guinea (PNG) Government and increase support through overseas development assistance via PNG or directly to YWAM to enable the life extension of the YWAM Medical Ship.

3.99The Committee recommends that where Pacific Island countries and Pacific civil society organisations seek to access climate finance, the Australian Government, having made a contribution to the Loss & Damage Fund for Developing Countries:

takes steps to improve and streamline the process

advocates globally for the creation of more equitable climate finance arrangements, in consultation with affected communities, with a view to facilitating access by the most vulnerable communities across the Pacific and elsewhere

consider support for the establishment of, funding for, and advocating for other institutional donors to support locally-managed climate finance and climate adaptation funds to support quick and targeted dispersal, including the Pacific Resilience Fund

explores other measures to improve access to climate finance for the most vulnerable and most effected by climate change in the Pacific.

3.100The Committee recommends that the Australian Government commits to identify any future climate finance contributions within the Overseas Development Assistance budget by 2026–27.

3.101The Committee recommends that the Australian Government publicly commits to ensure that no Overseas Development Assistance will be spent on fossil fuel projects in the Pacific by 2026–27. This policy should be implemented in consultation with Pacific Island Forum leaders.

3.102The Committee recommends that the Australian Government use its position on the International Seabed Authority Council to seek robust regulatory arrangements with the strongest possible environmental protections before seabed mining commences.

3.103The Committee recommends that the Australian Government considers options to strengthen the Australian National Contact Point for Responsible Business Conduct (AusNCP), including by:

increasing funding for the AusNCP

introducing additional powers to enable the AusNCP to investigate and sanction Australian corporations for human rights and environmental violations overseas.

3.104The Committee recommends that the Australian Government considers Terms of Reference and governance frameworks for the potential funding and partnership with Australian academic institutions to build the capacity of local actors to undertake surveys, including, where appropriate, into community attitudes and perceptions.

4.83The Committee recommends that the Australian Government—in close consultation with affected communities, national governments, and regional structures, and building on the successes of the Australia-Tuvalu Falepili Union—seeks opportunities to strengthen existing mobility pathways and consider additional options to support other Pacific communities, including those affected by climate change.

4.84The Committee recommends that the Australian Government reviews at least every three years key Pacific mobility schemes, including the Pacific Australia Labour Mobility scheme and the Pacific Engagement Visa, with a view to:

identifying issues faced by participants in Australia and upon return to their communities

evaluating the impact of these schemes on Pacific communities, families, and particularly on children

identifying and implementing measures to address any negative impacts of mobility schemes on participants and communities of origin.

4.85The Committee recommends that the Australian Government explores opportunities to establish more affordable and cost-effective short-term visa pathways for Pacific academics.

4.86The Committee recommends that the Australian Government considers extending the New Colombo Plan to include postgraduate students.

4.87The Committee recommends that the Australian Government considers significantly lifting the Pacific Engagement Visa (PEV) cap for upcoming years and explores opportunities to expand the PEV to other Pacific countries, where sufficient demand exists.