A Victoria University report, Fears, Constraints and Contracts suggests campaigning charities are increasingly fearful of speaking out about government policies because of gagging clauses in contracts, and concerns they could lose their funding. Researchers say 51.6% of the 153 charities surveyed feared losing contracts or grants as a result of criticising government actions. Nearly a third Read more
In Papua New Guinea a government supplied fund of K120 million for church state partnership programmes has been wasted through misapplication and abuse. National Planning Minister Charles Abel will table a report on the Social Development Plan or Church State Partnership Program where K120 million has been spent with nothing to show on the ground. Read more
On Monday, Italian Prime Minister Mario Monti met Benedict XVI at the pope’s retreat in Castel Gandolfo, signifying the end of the summer doldrums. A brief Vatican statement said the exchange focused on the “European situation,” understood to mean the Eurozone’s massive debt crisis, high unemployment and generally dismal economic outlook. It was the fifth Read more