Aid agencies have expressed disappointment at the Australian Government’s decision to freeze the country’s foreign aid budget.
Helen Szoke, Oxfam Australia‘s chief executive, said a continuation of the freeze put in place last year meant the foreign aid budget equated to just 22 cents in every $100 of gross national income.
“This Budget freeze represents a further chilling of the Government’s attitude towards aid – over the next four years of the forward estimates, it equates to a new cut to aid of $141 million, bringing total cuts to $444 million,” she said.
Describing spending on aid as a “minuscule” part of the Federal Budget, Dr Szoke said Australia has the ability to support an aid program “that does its fair share to reflect the government’s own vision of a stable, secure and prosperous region – and beyond” as well as spending in Australia.
World Vision Australia‘s Susan Anderson said the fact the Federal Government claimed to be committed to aid but it had “broken its promises at every opportunity – five budgets in a row”, was “not just dishonest, it is immoral”.
“Every year this government manages to outdo its own record for the lowest aid budget in Australia’s history – it’s showing lack of leadership and character,” said Ms Anderson, policy and advocacy director at World Vision Australia. “This cut is blatant hypocrisy. The government is calling on other countries such as the United Kingdom to increase aid while it slashes an already thin aid budget.”
The Australian Council for International Development – the peak body representing Australia’s non-government and international development organisations, said the Budget kept the government’s “foot on the throat” of foreign aid despite improved revenue, concerns over China’s rising influence in the region and $3.8 billion previously announced loans scheme for arms dealers.
ACFID said total aid spending will be $4.16 billion in 2018/19 or just 0.23 per cent of national income – a figure which entrenches Australia “as one of the lowest aid contributors”. Australia now ranks 19th out of the 29 nations that give aid in terms of the aid to gross national income ratio.
Marc Purcell, CEO of the council, said the Budget was an “opportunity to show leadership and use some of the unexpected revenue to repair past damage to aid”. “Unfortunately, this is a lost opportunity and we are very disappointed”, he said.
