Archives Archives

 The Magna Carta Lecture began in 2002 as a key collaboration between the British and Australian governments to mark Australia’s Centenary of Federation in 2001. The main intention was to set up a series of lectures which celebrate both Australia and British common values and interests, especially those relating to peace efforts such as the promotion of the pursuit of individual and economic freedom in tandem with the principles of Magna Carta (limiting the executive powers of a monarch in 1215)..  Among notable guest speakers for the series in the past were Hon Kevin Rudd, Hon Bob Carr and this year it was the turn of Hon Julie Bishop (Minister of Foreign Affairs, Australia) to address the attendees that attended the lecture at Queens Hall, Parliament of Victoria, Spring Street, Melbourne CBD. The event that commenced at 6 pm on Tuesday evening (29/4/2014) saw as many as 150 people from all walks of life including those from Canberra turning up to hear what the Foreign Minister had to say. The British High Commissioner to Australia, H.E Paul Madden was the moderator for the said event.

 

The gist of the speech by Hon Julie Bishop entitled ‘’A new paradigm in development assistance – harnessing the private sector’’  was on:- the embarking of Australia’s New International Development  Assistance (Foreign Aid)  Programme that will assist Australia’s neighbours in the Indian Ocean Asia-Pacific region especially with regard to the Aid programme that will return value for money. Bishop said that Aid is not to be given freely but to ensure it is being utilised or used for the betterment of the society of the said nation especially for the betterment and empowerment of women living and welfare. The trickling effect of aid being given to certain nations must also bring not just progress in that country but value for Australia’s net debt to the Commonwealth via the Aid. The Aid given should also reflect certain strategies to target key constraints to sustainable economic growth in the nation receiving the said aid. She also made mention of the need that a large part of the international development aid program will be about providing an environment in which the private sector would play a more important role.