Aid Program Performance Report 2015-16

21.Management Responses

The majority of management responses identified in the 2014-15 APPR were achieved with four partly achieved. A summary of the progress on management responses is in Annex A. In 2016-17, Australia will work towards achieving the management consequences identified in this report, relevant sector performance reports and Aid Quality Checks. Management responses for 2016-17 are set out below.

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  Improve program cohesiveness and continue the consolidation of investments through implementing the PNG Governance Facility.
  
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  Prioritise support with partners for PNG’s delivery of the 2017 elections.
  
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  Finalise a design for the next phase of the Kokoda Initiative that will better and more flexibly respond to the development priorities of Kokoda Track communities, protect the environment and the cultural and historical heritage of the region and further strengthen the capacity of PNG’s Kokoda Track Authority to keep the track open and safe.
  
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  Update the PNG aid program’s four year evaluation pipeline in consultation with DFAT’s Office of Development Effectiveness to support the current PNG program management cycle.
  
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  Manage the transition to future advisory support, including donor coordination, through the Joint Working Group with PNG.
  
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  Agree and commence implementation of new activities to support the law and justice sector.
  
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  Update the design of the Pacific Leadership and Governance Precinct ensuring it has a clear theory of change, simplified monitoring and evaluation structure and sustainability plan.
  
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  Prepare and implement sector investment plans for the education and health programs. The five year education sector investment plan will guide our support to PNG to implement reforms in the education sector. The health sector investment plan will inform future investment in areas including health financing and public financial management.
  
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  Prepare a Performance Assessment Framework for the PNG aid program that outlines the expected results to be achieved by Australian aid investments and how these will be measured.
  
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  Improve monitoring and evaluation and other program management through the Program Effectiveness team at post managing aid training for the PNG program.
  
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  Continue to implement the Gender Plan of Action for Port Moresby post to strengthen outcomes for women and girls through Australian engagement and investment in PNG.
  
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  Continue to support the implementation of the Daru Accelerated Response for Tuberculosis and encourage PNG to provide sustainable adequate funding for the response and to seek new sources of external funding.
  
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  Roll out significant industry assistance in Bougainville aimed at boosting sustainable cocoa production and other primary industries prioritised by the Autonomous Bougainville Government.
  

Annex A - Progress in Addressing Management Responses

Progress made against management responses identified in the PNG Aid Program Performance Report 2014-15

Management responses identified in 2014-15 APPR	Rating*	Progress made in 2015-16
Agree on a new Aid Partnership between the governments of Australia and PNG, including specific schedules on health, education, law and justice, infrastructure and governance and with clearly defined benchmarks and mutual obligations, in 2015-16.	Achieved	The Aid Partnership, signed on 3 March 2016, includes schedules for health, education, law and justice, transport and governance, and benchmarks and mutual obligations.
Implement the PNG Private Sector Development Framework, which has been agreed between governments.	Achieved	The Private Sector Development Framework has been progressively implemented, with contracts signed with implementing partners and program activities underway.
Prioritise the design, tender, and implementation of the new governance program, based on an agreed multi-year governance strategy.	Achieved	Contracts between DFAT and the preferred tenderer for the PNG Governance Facility, Abt JTA, came into effect on 5 April 2016. The Facility began operating on 1 July 2016.
Manage the transition to the new law and justice sector program, the Justice Services and Stability for Development Program (JSS4D), from late 2015.	Achieved	The JSS4D program commenced in January 2016, carrying forward some activities from the previous program. Delays to the signing of the subsidiary arrangement until June 2016 resulted in the planning of some new activities starting in June.
Implement the Gender Plan of Action for Port Moresby post, which was developed in 2015.	Partly achieved	Although some progress has been made, according to the annual report on the Gender Action Plan, progress has been less than expected and there is still room to leverage more outcomes from large mainstream investments and through diplomatic engagement.
Improve the performance of the Kokoda Initiative (KI), Strongim Gavman Program advisory support and the Church Partnership Program (CPP).	Partly achieved	The management of the KI moved from the Department of the Environment to the PNG post. Australia and PNG formed a Joint Working Group to discuss future advisory support. A redesign of the CPP will review lessons and explore ways to refine the CPP for greater impact.
Centralise monitoring and evaluation support at Port Moresby post to enable the program to develop a more constructive and positive narrative on its performance and quality and maintain 100 per cent compliance on all mandatory aid quality and performance reporting.	Partly achieved	The PNG program achieved 100 per cent compliance on all mandatory aid quality and performance reporting. The program did not centralise monitoring and evaluation support at Port Moresby post.
Renew our commitment to safeguarding children by providing DFAT child protection training to all staff working on the PNG program in Port Moresby and Canberra.	Achieved	DFAT child protection training was provided to all staff working on the PNG program in Port Moresby and Canberra in 2015-16 and will be provided again in 2016-17.
Analyse the PNG aid program’s overall performance against the 2008-2015 Partnership for Development and PNG’s progress in meeting the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).	Partly achieved	The 2014 Aid Assessment reviewed PNG’s progress against the Partnership for Development and the MDGs and made recommendations for developing the Aid Partnership Arrangement.

*Note:

  Achieved. Significant progress has been made in addressing the issue

  Partly achieved. Some progress has been made in addressing the issue, but the issue has not been resolved

  Not achieved. Progress in addressing the issue has been significantly below expectations