A useful article - many thanks. There are other problems with Australian overseas aid, however. One is that too much of our aid money goes into the pockets of highly paid Australian consultants, with too small a proportion of taxpayer funds actually delivering a benefit to people in developing countries. Another is that many overseas governments are corrupt or direct our money into urban areas where they can buy votes. Instead, we should be making sure that as much money as possible is directed to local NGOs with small overheads, lots of on-ground contacts and who are in regular contact with the people that our aid is intended to help. Many church groups also deliver on-ground benefits effectively and efficiently, as do some local or provincial governments in places such as the Philippines.