The Readout
Development Intelligence Lab
The Readout is a podcast hosted by the Development Intelligence Lab.
At the Lab, we’re tackling the big issues of development cooperation in the Indo-Pacific. We take one gnarly issue at a time, gather the best of the best from the region, Government, and academia, and dive deep to unpack the issue – and find the way forward.
And our favourite part of these projects is the conversations we have along the way. So here on The Readout, we take you behind the scenes to let you in on the phone calls, the coffees, and the lightbulb moments that shaped each project.
To learn more about The Readout and the work of the Development Intelligence Lab, head over to devintelligencelab.com.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Top 10 The Readout Episodes
Goodpods has curated a list of the 10 best The Readout episodes, ranked by the number of listens and likes each episode have garnered from our listeners. If you are listening to The Readout for the first time, there's no better place to start than with one of these standout episodes. If you are a fan of the show, vote for your favorite The Readout episode by adding your comments to the episode page.
09/19/24 • 14 min
How can Australia’s Civil Society Partnership Fund enhance civic space in the Indo-Pacific region? With Martina Zapf, General Manager at the Lab and expert in peacebuilding, we discuss the recent announcement of $35 million over four years for the fund, aimed at supporting civic space amidst rising concerns over shrinking civil liberties. Martina delves into the fund's objectives, the importance of strategic design, and the risks involved in supporting civil society in restricted environments.
Martina emphasises the need for targeted, impactful support rather than playing it safe, and offers practical advice for diplomats on making the most of the fund.
Finally, Martina tackles the Lab’s standing hypothetical, offering insights into how diplomats can effectively utilise this new tool to foster open and resilient civic spaces.
Read the Lab’s policy brief on the Civil Society Partnership Fund here: https://www.devintelligencelab.com/analyses/lessons-for-australias-civil-society-partnerships-fund
The Readout is the Development Intelligence Lab's podcast hosted by CEO Bridi Rice. Each episode, you'll meet one development leader, hear their big idea and discover how it can shape the future of Australian development assistance.
Visit Development Intelligence Lab for cracking analysis on Australian development cooperation: https://www.devintelligencelab.com/our-analysis
The Readout is recorded and produced on Ngunnawal and Ngambri lands. Music by Viljami Mehto.
Support and editing by Ruby Saulwick and Walter Colnaghi.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
10/02/24 • 14 min
What does it mean to truly engage men in the fight for gender equality in the Pacific? With Dr. Mercy Masta, Research Fellow at the ANU's Department of Pacific Affairs, we delve into her research that challenges established gender equality discourse in the region. Mercy argues that to foster genuine change, we must incorporate men's perspectives and cultural practices into gender discussions, rather than viewing them solely as obstacles. She also emphasises the importance of recognising existing power dynamics and privileges within Pacific communities, advocating for a more nuanced and inclusive approach to development.
Mercy tackles the Lab's hypothetical, offering advice to Australian development program managers on how to truly transform their approach to gender equality in the Pacific.
Read Mercy's thought-provoking blog "Gender Equality, The Pacific Way" here: https://www.lowyinstitute.org/the-interpreter/gender-equality-pacific-way. The original Women Leading and Influencing piece is accessible here: https://assets-global.website-files.com/649226efa5faed5901e05da6/654e6dab39679ed7588af3aa_REPORT_Engaging%20men%20in%20support%20of%20women%27s%20leadership%20in%20the%20Pacific.pdf
Other content that we spoke about:
Ezra Klein from the NYT podcast, speaking on masculinity.
- Aug 16th, 2024 - “Manliness, Cat Ladies, Fertility Panic and the 2024 election” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qwtztNS8H_U
- Aug 27th, 2023 - “Best of: The Men — and Boys — Are Not Alright” https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/best-of-the-men-and-boys-are-not-alright/id1548604447?i=1000666761830
Tyson Yunkaporta - “Sand Talk: How Indigenous Thinking Can Save The World” https://redkangaroobooks.au/products/sand-talk-how-indigenous-thinking-can-save-the-world-by-tyson-yunkaporta?srsltid=AfmBOop1kYlhiQ5rGgqxKrFSpZjwAGZ_QaE_oeSHewy1Nk7gk2Cw9fSp
Dr Salmah Eva-Lina Lawrence - “The Majority World - what’s in a phrase” https://www.devintelligencelab.com/readout/s6-salmahlawrence
The Readout is the Development Intelligence Lab's podcast hosted by CEO Bridi Rice. Each episode, you'll meet one development leader, hear their big idea and discover how it can shape the future of Australian development assistance.
Visit Development Intelligence Lab for cracking analysis on Australian development cooperation: https://www.devintelligencelab.com/our-analysis
The Readout is recorded and produced on Ngunnawal and Ngambri lands. Music by Viljami Mehto.
Support and editing by Ruby Saulwick and Walter Colnaghi.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
09/04/24 • 14 min
How can we shift the language of international development to better reflect global realities? With Dr Salmah Lawrence, a leader in development thought and practice, we talk about her influential article that challenges the terms "developing world" and "Global South." Salmah explains the concept of the "Majority World" and argues for a new approach to development that includes social and cultural factors, not just economic ones.
Salmah shares her vision for Australian development policy, by tackling the Lab’s standing hypothetical.
Read Salmah’s piece “The Majority World – what’s in a phrase?” here: https://www.philanthropy.org.au/news-and-stories/the-majority-world-whats-in-a-phrase/
Find more of Salmah’s work here: https://www.drsalmah.com/
The Readout is the Development Intelligence Lab's podcast hosted by CEO Bridi Rice. Each episode, you'll meet one development leader, hear their big idea and discover how it can shape the future of Australian development assistance.
Visit Development Intelligence Lab for cracking analysis on Australian development cooperation: https://www.devintelligencelab.com/our-analysis
The Readout is recorded and produced on Ngunnawal and Ngambri lands. Music by Viljami Mehto.
Support and editing by Ruby Saulwick and Walter Colnaghi.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
08/21/24 • 40 min
Australia’s International Development Policy Anniversary Event. In this special episode, we take you behind the scenes of the key anniversary event with Minister for International Development and the Pacific, the Hon Pat Conroy MP. Held a few days ago, the event celebrated one year of the policy, bringing together around 50 Australian-based development stakeholders and leaders from government, academia, and civil society to reflect on the policy's progress and it’s future.
Minister Conroy shares his reflections on the achievements and challenges faced, emphasising the importance of listening to and respecting the needs of our neighbours.
He also announces funding for the new Civil Society Partnerships Fund and hears pitches and ideas from Matt Darvas of Micah, Serena Sasingian of Digital Foundation and Darren Lim of ANU.
Finally, Minister Conroy answers Lab hypothetical; “imagine yourself in 10 years’ time, what was the most critical change you made or direction you gave, during that time. What would you love to be able to say?”
Read our analysis of the International Development Policy: One Year On here: https://www.devintelligencelab.com/analyses/international-development-policy-one-year-on
Read the documents and policies mentioned by the Minister here:
- International Development Policy: https://www.dfat.gov.au/sites/default/files/international-development-policy.pdf
- Performance and Delivery Framework: https://www.dfat.gov.au/sites/default/files/performance-delivery-framework.pdf
- Australian Development Cooperation Report: https://www.dfat.gov.au/sites/default/files/performance-of-australian-development-cooperation-report-2022-2023.pdf
The Readout is the Development Intelligence Lab's podcast hosted by CEO Bridi Rice. Each episode, you'll meet one development leader, hear their big idea and discover how it can shape the future of Australian development assistance.
Visit Development Intelligence Lab for cracking analysis on Australian development cooperation: https://www.devintelligencelab.com/our-analysis
The Readout is recorded and produced on Ngunnawal and Ngambri lands. Music by Viljami Mehto.
Support and editing by Ruby Saulwick and Walter Colnaghi.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
07/24/24 • 17 min
How can addressing fragility and conflict in the Indo-Pacific region help shape the future of Australian development assistance? With David Young, Deputy Director of the Lessons Learned Program at the U.S. Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR), we explore the importance of understanding local fragilities, the role of donor countries, and lessons from Afghanistan that Australian policymakers can apply.
Finally, David gives one piece of advice to Australian foreign affairs leaders.
Read SIGAR’s recent paper here: https://www.sigar.mil/pdf/lessonslearned/SIGAR-21-46-LL.pdf
The Readout is the Development Intelligence Lab's podcast hosted by CEO Bridi Rice. Each episode, you'll meet one development leader, hear their big idea and discover how it can shape the future of Australian development assistance.
Visit Development Intelligence Lab for cracking analysis on Australian development cooperation: https://www.devintelligencelab.com/our-analysis
The Readout is recorded and produced on Ngunnawal and Ngambri lands. Music by Viljami Mehto.
Support and editing by Ruby Saulwick and Walter Colnaghi.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
07/10/24 • 22 min
How did the exodus of Australian development workers during COVID-19 impact projects in the Pacific? And what lessons can be drawn for future development assistance? With Aidan Craney of La Trobe University and partnership broker Yeshe Smith, we discuss their research into locally led development and the importance of addressing systemic issues in the field. They highlight how embracing local leadership and confronting entrenched biases can improve outcomes for all involved.
Finally Aidan and Yeshe pitch their ideas to an Australian development program manager.
Read Aidan Craney and Yeshe Smith’s paper, ‘Racism, Colonialism, and Whiteness in Development: Insights from Pacific Professionals Following Repatriation of White Staff during COVID-19’ here: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/01436597.2024.2356608
The Readout is the Development Intelligence Lab's podcast hosted by CEO Bridi Rice. Each episode, you'll meet one development leader, hear their big idea and discover how it can shape the future of Australian development assistance.
Visit Development Intelligence Lab for cracking analysis on Australian development cooperation: https://www.devintelligencelab.com/our-analysis
The Readout is recorded and produced on Ngunnawal and Ngambri lands. Music by Viljami Mehto.
Support and editing by Ruby Saulwick and Walter Colnaghi.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
06/27/24 • 14 min
How can Australia transition from an austerity mindset to a growth mindset in its development program? With Therese Faulkner, founder of the International Development Contractors Community (IDCC), we discuss policy priorities. Therese emphasises the importance of embracing innovation in delivering high-impact development assistance. She explores how a changed mindset, broader community engagement, and maintaining focus on locally led development, gender, and disability inclusion can enhance Australia’s development efforts.
Finally, Therese pitches her ideas to ministers.
Read the IDCC’s submission here: https://idcc.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/IDCC-New-International-Development-Policy-Submission.pdf
Read the IDCC’s budget reaction here: https://idcc.org.au/idcc-reaction-to-the-2024-25-development-budget/
The Readout is the Development Intelligence Lab's podcast hosted by CEO Bridi Rice. Each episode, you'll meet one development leader, hear their big idea and discover how it can shape the future of Australian development assistance.
Visit Development Intelligence Lab for cracking analysis on Australian development cooperation: https://www.devintelligencelab.com/our-analysis
The Readout is recorded and produced on Ngunnawal and Ngambri lands. Music by Viljami Mehto.
Support and editing by Ruby Saulwick and Walter Colnaghi.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Episode Five: On Indonesia and Solomon Islands, SDG progress, and approaches to addressing climate
The Readout
07/20/23 • 29 min
Welcome to episode five of the latest Readout series.
In this episode, the Lab’s CEO, Bridi Rice, sits down again with Jo Choe and James Gilling.
The group discuss recent development headlines: staffing moves at DFAT including Ambassadorial appointments and bureaucratic shuffles of Rod Brazier, Elizabeth Peak and Ewen McDonald, reactions to the recent visit by the Indonesian President, Joko Widodo, and the China-Solomon Islands implementation plan on policing.
Given it is SDG reporting season at the UN HQ in New York at the moment Bridi, Jo and James discuss the latest UN SDG progress report and muse about why the SDGs have had limited impact here in Australia.
Finally, the trio once again consider Australia’s new development policy (expected to drop shortly). How prominently will climate feature in the new policy, what might it say about climate finance and will we see climate follow gender and adopt a mainstreaming approach?
To learn more about The Readout and the work of the Development Intelligence Lab, head over to devintelligencelab.com and find us on Twitter and LinkedIn.
Happy listening.
The Lab.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Introducing: The Readout Democracy Series
The Readout
11/26/21 • 2 min
We’re stoked to introduce the first series of the Readout: Democracy. Hosted by Lab CEO Bridi Rice, this short series takes you behind the scenes of our latest project, investigating what US President Biden’s Summit for Democracy will mean for the Indo-Pacific.
Nationalism, populism, political polarisation and identity politics are challenging liberalism and institutions in democracies worldwide. More countries are abandoning democracy than embracing it. Overlay all of this with geostrategic competition, and a potential ‘clash of systems’ between liberal democracy and autocracy is brought into sharp focus.
President Biden argues that democracy must ‘prove itself,’ reasoning that this will be key to competing with China and Russia. But development experts warn against weaponizing democracy, instead favouring a nuanced investment in governance, service delivery and accountability in developing regions by donors.
Caught amidst the debate are policy-makers unsure where to invest their aid dollar – promote democracy and risk being accused of intervening in the sovereign affairs of another nation, or do nothing and be accused of standing by amidst egregious human rights violations?
In this series, we’re speaking to academics, practitioners, and regional leaders as we work through what the Summit for Democracy will mean for our region. Watch out for the Lab’s publication on this topic, Develop, featuring four essays from some of the guests you get to know in this series.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
10/16/24 • 20 min
What can a tour of Port Moresby's coffee shops and hotels reveal about the state of Australian development and diplomacy in Papua New Guinea? With Gordon Peake, analyst and author of recent article "People-watching in Port Moresby," we unpack Australia's engagement with its closest neighbour. Gordon reflects on the disconnect between official narratives and realities on the ground, the pressures on development workers to demonstrate success, and the value of listening to a range of perspectives to understand PNG's challenges.
We also explore Gordon's insights on the importance of humility when practicing the great game of statecraft, and his advice for newcomers to the Pacific diplomatic scene.
Read Gordon's piece "People-watching in Port Moresby" here: https://insidestory.org.au/people-watching-in-port-moresby/
The Readout is the Development Intelligence Lab's podcast hosted by CEO Bridi Rice. Each episode, you'll meet one development leader, hear their big idea and discover how it can shape the future of Australian development assistance.
Visit Development Intelligence Lab for cracking analysis on Australian development cooperation: https://www.devintelligencelab.com/our-analysis
The Readout is recorded and produced on Ngunnawal and Ngambri lands. Music by Viljami Mehto.
Support and editing by Ruby Saulwick and Walter Colnaghi.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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FAQ
How many episodes does The Readout have?
The Readout currently has 40 episodes available.
What topics does The Readout cover?
The podcast is about News, Australia, Policy, Development, Podcasts, Politics and Government.
What is the most popular episode on The Readout?
The episode title 'David Young x Lessons learnt for fragile and conflict-affected states' is the most popular.
What is the average episode length on The Readout?
The average episode length on The Readout is 16 minutes.
How often are episodes of The Readout released?
Episodes of The Readout are typically released every 13 days, 23 hours.
When was the first episode of The Readout?
The first episode of The Readout was released on Nov 26, 2021.
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