The Elite Paradigm Driving Australian Aid Policy
Learning to Live With the ‘Cautious Consensus
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 6415664 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Benjamin Day (0000-0001-6441-5430, Australian National University, corresponding author), Timothy Wells (0000-0002-5604-7081, The University of Melbourne) |
| Year | 2025 |
| Volume | 12 |
| Issue | 1 |
| Publication date | 2025-01-01 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Asia & the Pacific Policy Studies (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 2050-2680 • E-ISSN: 2050-2680 |
| Publisher | Wiley (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1002/app5.70009 |
| OpenAlex | W4406291981 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 1 |
| References cited | 12 |
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
Development economics · Economics · Elite · Political economy · Political science · Politics · International Development and Aid · Law · Peacebuilding and International Security · Tourism, Volunteerism, and Development
Is Bipartisanship on National Security Beneficial? Australia's Politics of Defence and Security
What parliamentarians think about Australia's post‐Covid‐19 aid program
Australian aid after the ‘Golden Consensus’
Examining recent shifts in Australia's foreign aid policy
Can advocacy change the views of politicians about aid? The potential and limits of a presence-based approach
Global values or national interest? Public opinion towards foreign aid in Australia
Transition from hedging to balancing in Australia’s China policy
Global development governance in the ‘interregnum’
The Rise and Fall of the Aid Effectiveness Norm
| Unique citing works | 1 |
|---|---|
| Citations per year | 1 |
| Citation span | 2025 - 2025 (1) |
| Citation velocity | recent |
| Highly cited | No |
| Citation types | Neutral: 1 |