The Elite Paradigm Driving Australian Aid Policy: Learning to Live With the ‘Cautious Consensus’

ABSTRACT This article explores the underlying reasons for why the Albanese Labor Governmentʼs stated policy ambition to ‘rebuild Australiaʼs international development program’ has not yet been accomplished and is unlikely to be realised, at least in the near‐to‐medium term. Based on interviews condu...

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Main Authors: Benjamin Day, Tamas Wells
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2025-01-01
Series:Asia & the Pacific Policy Studies
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1002/app5.70009
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author Benjamin Day
Tamas Wells
author_facet Benjamin Day
Tamas Wells
author_sort Benjamin Day
collection DOAJ
description ABSTRACT This article explores the underlying reasons for why the Albanese Labor Governmentʼs stated policy ambition to ‘rebuild Australiaʼs international development program’ has not yet been accomplished and is unlikely to be realised, at least in the near‐to‐medium term. Based on interviews conducted with 21 Australian Members of Parliament, we find that the ‘cautious consensus’—a collection of ideas guiding elite perspectives on Australian aid policy that emerged during the COVID‐19 pandemic—has rapidly consolidated, to the point where it can now be considered a paradigm. We identify three main factors that have led to this consolidation: the declining salience of aid; growing elite scepticism about the usefulness of aid; and a combination of political challenges that are difficult for Labor to navigate, as it seeks to become a long‐term Government. Given the prospects of shifting the unambitious status quo are unlikely in the in the near‐to‐medium term, we examine what ‘living with the cautious consensus’ means for the Australian development sector.
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spelling doaj-art-8b2dd6f37375418684572583dcae9e082025-01-31T08:45:15ZengWileyAsia & the Pacific Policy Studies2050-26802025-01-01121n/an/a10.1002/app5.70009The Elite Paradigm Driving Australian Aid Policy: Learning to Live With the ‘Cautious Consensus’Benjamin Day0Tamas Wells1Department of International Relations ANU College of Asia & the Pacific The Australian National University Canberra AustraliaSchool of Social and Political Sciences Faculty of Arts University of Melbourne Melbourne AustraliaABSTRACT This article explores the underlying reasons for why the Albanese Labor Governmentʼs stated policy ambition to ‘rebuild Australiaʼs international development program’ has not yet been accomplished and is unlikely to be realised, at least in the near‐to‐medium term. Based on interviews conducted with 21 Australian Members of Parliament, we find that the ‘cautious consensus’—a collection of ideas guiding elite perspectives on Australian aid policy that emerged during the COVID‐19 pandemic—has rapidly consolidated, to the point where it can now be considered a paradigm. We identify three main factors that have led to this consolidation: the declining salience of aid; growing elite scepticism about the usefulness of aid; and a combination of political challenges that are difficult for Labor to navigate, as it seeks to become a long‐term Government. Given the prospects of shifting the unambitious status quo are unlikely in the in the near‐to‐medium term, we examine what ‘living with the cautious consensus’ means for the Australian development sector.https://doi.org/10.1002/app5.70009Australian aidbipartisanshipdevelopment assistanceforeign aidpolicy studiespolitical elites
spellingShingle Benjamin Day
Tamas Wells
The Elite Paradigm Driving Australian Aid Policy: Learning to Live With the ‘Cautious Consensus’
Asia & the Pacific Policy Studies
Australian aid
bipartisanship
development assistance
foreign aid
policy studies
political elites
title The Elite Paradigm Driving Australian Aid Policy: Learning to Live With the ‘Cautious Consensus’
title_full The Elite Paradigm Driving Australian Aid Policy: Learning to Live With the ‘Cautious Consensus’
title_fullStr The Elite Paradigm Driving Australian Aid Policy: Learning to Live With the ‘Cautious Consensus’
title_full_unstemmed The Elite Paradigm Driving Australian Aid Policy: Learning to Live With the ‘Cautious Consensus’
title_short The Elite Paradigm Driving Australian Aid Policy: Learning to Live With the ‘Cautious Consensus’
title_sort elite paradigm driving australian aid policy learning to live with the cautious consensus
topic Australian aid
bipartisanship
development assistance
foreign aid
policy studies
political elites
url https://doi.org/10.1002/app5.70009
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