Our 2011 election manifesto - Labour Party

The quality of development spending has been compromised by making the aid programme
subservient to diplomatic objectives, with bilateral programmes controlled by heads of
mission.
Labour will re-establish NZAID as New Zealand‟s international development agency,
committed to the elimination of poverty, implementing a high-impact development
programme, transparent and accountable, and contributing to New Zealand‟s broader
foreign policy goals.
NZAID will have its own Vote: ODA (budget allocation). It will be represented at Cabinet by
the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Overseas Development Assistance. The Minister
will receive a direct line of advice from the Executive Director of NZAID who will be
appointed by the State Services Commission.
Labour is concerned that New Zealand has moved away from international best practice in
aid. We need to recommit to impact-driven development with a whole-of-government
approach and a narrow enough geographic scope that we have the resources to actually
make a difference. The Pacific remains our priority.
Labour will recommit the NZ development programme to international best practice,
including the Aid Effectiveness principles of ownership, alignment, harmonisation,
results and mutual accountability.
Recent cuts in funding to the NGO community have effectively ended a 30 year history of the
aid programme and the NGOs working in partnership.
Labour will re-establish a strategic partnership framework for cooperation between
NZAID and New Zealand-based development NGOs with the goal of building the
capacity of the NGOs and working together to get the best development outcomes.
Conflict prevention and resolution
Preventing, resolving and recovering from conflict is one of the big challenges of our time.
New Zealand has developed useful experiences and skills that could be used to shape a
special new role as a promoter and builder of peace in the region. We are a small nonthreatening
honest broker with an independent foreign policy. Our reputation in this area is
second to none. We can develop our expertise and reputation further.
In Bougainville, Timor Leste, Afghanistan, Fiji and the Solomons we have built up experience
of conflict resolution, peace mediation, peace keeping, and rebuilding institutions postconflict.
Labour will build a specialist capability for New Zealand as a peace-builder in the
Asia-Pacific region. This will draw on New Zealanders‟ experience in mediation and
conflict resolution, peace-keeping, and post-conflict state building.
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