This speech was delivered at the launch of the Australian Council for International Development’s (ACFID) State of the Sector Report 2026 on 6 August 2026. This is the second State of the Sector report, following the first in 2018. Across 36 indicators and 10 characteristics, it provides the most comprehensive comparable picture of Australian development non-government organisations in nearly a decade. Australian organisations contribute expertise and long-term relationships. Through deep people-to-people links, you connect Australians with our region and give local partners a stronger voice in Canberra.