Peter McCawley

Former Dean, Asian Development Bank Institute, Tokyo

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A hermit state? The future of Australian overseas aid

Australian aid spending has reached new lows after cuts in the latest federal budget. Foreign aid expert Peter McCawley argues what we now need is a modern and professional aid program capable of meeting non-traditional security threats at the international level and building Australia’s economic links with Asia.

Australia’s A$1.5 billion COVID-related loan to Indonesia

The Australian Government has unexpectedly announced that Australia will make a $ 1.5 billion COVID-related support loan to Indonesia. Australia’s assistance program to Indonesia has lagged somewhat in recent years. Indeed, the fall in support to Indonesia had begun to attract comment. But in one stroke, Treasurer Josh Frydenberg’s announcement late last week significantly strengthened Australia’s economic diplomacy in Southeast Asia, writes Peter McCawley.

How Australia has Gained from Multilateralism

Indonesia’s development has been supported over several decades by one of the largest sustained multilateral aid efforts since the Second World War. As former aid official and Indonesia expert Peter McCawley writes, Australia too has been a major beneficiary in terms of the regional stability and security aid has helped deliver, but its contribution to the total has been relatively small.

Coronavirus: The Siren Song of Protectionism

When the coronavirus pandemic passes, Asia is set to continue its great long boom. Building on the theme of the recent Asialink Business ‘Winning in Asia’ report, respected economist Peter McCawley argues Australian government and business needs to more deeply engage with Asia’s growing regionalism, avoid a post-pandemic temptation to isolate, and embrace greater openness to two-way capital flows, to technology, and to international knowledge.