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The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade decided to close down two key bodies that scrutinised the nation’s overseas aid programs partly over a “need to find departmental budget savings”.
DFAT moved in August to shut the Office of Development Effectiveness (ODE), an independent branch of the department that reported directly to its secretary on the effectiveness of Australia’s aid programs.
The Morrison government has quietly started reversing some of the aid cuts in recent years as it looks to support the region’s recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Credit:Justin McManus
It decided to cut the ODE’s staff from 13.5 full-time employees to five and merge its functions into other areas of the department.