Foundation for Development Co-operation
The Foundation for Development Co-operation is a "non-profit organisation based in Brisbane and "is Australia’s only international development think tank." [1] It "works through strategic research, policy development and advocacy for sustainable development and poverty reduction in Asia and the Pacific." [2] According to its website its long-term aims are to:
- Mobilise support for development cooperation
- Ensure sustainable development policies and practices in the Asia Pacific region
- Promote individual, community and private sector initiative
- Reduce poverty and disadvantage [3]
Donors and sponsors
"The FDC gratefully acknowledges financial and in-kind contributions from individual and corporate donors and sponsors. In 2002–2003 these included the ANZ Bank, the Queensland State Department for Innovation and Information Economy, and Maple Brown Abbott." See Annual Report
In 2003, their total expenses on operating activities were AU$1,242,000 (AU$429,00 came from Investment & Interest Income and AU$480,000 from AUSAID). See Annual Report
Projects
Information and communication for development (IC4D) "The FDC continued to promote information and communication as critical elements in the development process, with information technology offering a means to accelerate and extend development dividends. Stuart Mathison leads this program. With financial support from UNESCO, the Global Knowledge Partnership and a number of other donors, the FDC initiated and organised a special session on information and communication technology needs and opportunities for Pacific Island countries at the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) Asia Pacific Regional Conference in Tokyo in January 2003. This session and subsequent consultations in Suva were invaluable in ensuring the contributions and needs of Pacific Island countries were well recognised in the WSIS process and reflected in the outcomes of the WSIS in Geneva in December 2003. The WSIS Secretariat officially endorsed the FDC’s contribution to a better understanding of the dynamics of multi-sector partnerships. In conjunction with the Overseas Development Institute’s Dr Michael Warner, FDC Consulting Associate, Dr Paul Greener, led a workshop on multi-sector partnerships at the WSIS Second Preparatory Committee Meeting in Geneva in February. Stuart Mathison and Dr Greener conducted a second workshop at the Pacific WSIS consultations in Suva in April 2003. The European Commission’s Directorate General of Development agreed to fund the publication of a brochure summarising Stuart Mathison’s presentation, ‘Digital dividends for the poor: ICT for poverty reduction’ at the Global Knowledge Partnership annual general meeting in May 2003. The brochure was produced in several languages for distribution at the Summit in December 2003. My appointment to the WSIS ICT4D Platform International Advisory Panel is also evidence of the FDC’s growing profile in this arena. The FDC’s WSIS activities and its increasing involvement in the Global Knowledge Partnership have led to significant opportunities to help design, monitor and evaluate community-based ICT4D projects relating to health, agriculture and Internet–based development communications in Papua New Guinea, Samoa and Fiji." See Annual Report
Board of Governors
- Dr Brian Scott AO (Chairman) - Dr Scott has been Chairman of the Foundation since 1990, and has over 30 years of experience in international development. He is also Chairman of Management Frontiers and a Director of the ANZ Banking Group. He is a member of the Board of Governors of the Asian Institute of Management and a past-President of the Australia-ASEAN Business Council. Dr Scott was a member of the Committee to Review the Australian Overseas Aid Program in 1983/84, Chairman of the Australian Government's Trade Development Council from 1984 - 1990, and Chairman of the Australia Korea Foundation from 1992 - 2000.
- Hon. Professor Peter Baume AO - Professor Baume is Chancellor of the Australian National University and a Director of Sydney Water. Professor Baume has also served successively as Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, Health and Education during the period of the Fraser Government.
- Dr Vijoleta Braach-Maksvytis - Dr Braach-Maksvytis heads the CSIROGlobal Aid initiative and is Principal for the Global Research Alliance (nine leading science organisations focused on meeting the UN's Millennium Development Goals). Dr Braach-Maksvytis holds the position of Head, Office of the Chief Scientist of Australia, as an independent advisor to the government, and oversees working groups for the Prime Minister's Science, Engineering, and Innovation Council. Dr Braach-Maksvytis has initiated debate on the implications of emerging technologies, to suggest steering their global impact on social, economic, and ethical issues, and has represented Australia in policy areas with APEC and the EU.
- Elizabeth Nosworthy AO - Ms Nosworthy is a prominent former solicitor and company director based in Brisbane. In addition to chairing Prime Infrastructure Management Limited and Stanwell Corporation Limited, she is a director of GPT Management Limited, Ventracor Limited and the Queensland Treasury Corporation.
- Stephen Taylor - Mr Taylor has extensive experience as a consultant and manager in the tourism industry, both in Australia and overseas. He has acted as managing director of Tourism Potential since 1994 and was general manager of the National Centre for Studies in Tourism and Travel for two years. Mr Taylor was also involved in the development and operation of several theme attractions in Australia and the US during the 1970s and 1980s.
- Professor Emeritus L. Roy Webb AO - Professor Webb has had a distinguished career as both an academic economist and university administrator. He served as Vice-Chancellor of Griffith University from 1985 - 2002 and was Pro-Vice-Chancellor of The University of Melbourne in 1983/84. From 1986 to 1990 he was Chairman of the Board of the Australian-American Fulbright Commission and has served on numerous committees and boards in higher education and economics. At present he chairs the Non-State Schools Accreditation Board of the Queensland Government and the Library Board of Queensland.
- Robert Lyon - Bob Lyon was appointed Chairman of ANZ Pacific in 2006 after retiring as Managing Director, Pacific for ANZ Banking Group Limited. Bob joined ANZ in 1965 and ran ANZ’s Pacific operations from 1994, responsible for all banking operations in the region. During his time in that role, he was also responsible for ANZ’s Asian Personal Banking operations and looking after ANZ’s investment in P T Bank Panin Indonesia Tbk – an associate company. ANZ is the major Australian bank in Asia Pacific and has around 2,500 staff in over 20 countries in the region outside of Australia and New Zealand. He is currently President of the Australia Fiji Business Council, Vice President of the Australia PNG Business Council and is Immediate Past President of the Australia Pacific Islands Business Council. He is also on the boards of the Pacific Economic Bulletin published by the ANU. Bob has held several positions outside ANZ including Chairman, Organisation Development and Change Management Board at RMIT, Executive Board Member Melbourne Chamber of Commerce and is a former Board member and Chairman of Melbourne City Marketing.
Publications
Contact
- Level 2 283 Elizabeth Street
- Brisbane Qld 4000 Australia
- Tel: 61 7 3236 4633
- Web: http://www.fdc.org.au/
