Teresa Gambaro (Brisbane, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I rise to speak on this motion and state at the outset that the Australian government is greatly concerned by the tragic loss of over 100,000 lives in the Syrian conflict. In line with these concerns, the Australian government welcomes the unanimous adoption by the UN Security Council two days ago, on 22 February, of a breakthrough resolution on the humanitarian crisis in Syria. Australia, Jordan and Luxembourg drafted the resolution, which demands all parties, particularly the Syrian regime, cease deliberate attacks on the Syrian people, end sieges and the use of starvation as a weapon of war, and facilitate access for humanitarian assistance, including across conflict lines and border areas.

The Australian government was proud to co-lead in negotiating an outcome that focuses on the needs of the Syrian people. At the Kuwait II pledging conference in January 2014, Australia pledged $10 million of humanitarian assistance to Syria. This is exactly the same amount pledged by the Australian government at the previous Kuwait conference in 2013. In addition, this year the government provided $2 million for the destruction of Syria's chemical weapons, announced in January. Also, $100.8 million that was announced by the last government was expended over 27 months between May 2011 and August 2013.

It is important to note that the funding for humanitarian crises such as Syria is usually drawn from a part of the aid budget called 'mandated flexibility'. This is a pool of funding which can be drawn on for emerging or unforeseen priorities. It is an important tool which is able to be used in responding as an effective and responsible donor.

Regrettably, a fact which is notably not listed on the member for Sydney's motion is that not even the mandated flexibility provision was immune to Labor's poor financial management. In December 2012 Labor raided the mandated flexibility provision to the tune of almost $18 million to fund the $375 million Labor cut from the aid budget to pay for onshore asylum seeker costs. This action made the Gillard government itself the third largest recipient of Australia's aid program. In May 2013 Labor effectively reduced the mandated flexibility again when the 2013-14 allocation was reduced from $120 million to $90 million. The member for Fremantle can bleat all she likes about what has happened, but Labor were the very people who attacked the mandated flexibility provision, and in doing so they have affected our ability to respond this year to disasters and humanitarian events such as those in Syria. When the member for Sydney and the member for Fremantle call on this government to immediately increase its humanitarian aid commitment to the people affected by the Syrian conflict, they need to explain why the previous Labor government—a government of which she was part—ripped $48 million out of the aid budget in the six months between December 2012 and May 2013. The member sitting beside me highlighted the accumulated deficits and gross debt we were left with. This was another mess left by Labor for the Abbott government to clean up. This government has responsibly co-led the United Nations Security Council to unanimous agreement on what was a very difficult resolution after almost three years of deadlock during which it went nowhere.

I commend the work that is being done by the various aid agencies in Syria at a particularly difficult time. Members previously have spoken about the warring factions there and how difficult it has been to ensure that appropriate by aid is delivered in the appropriate way. I also commend the work being done by my parliamentary colleague the Minister for Foreign Affairs, the Hon. Julie Bishop. I have every faith that under her stewardship Australia will continue to play its part in pursuing outcomes which focus on the needs of the Syrian people and helping them work through the very difficult and troubling times ahead for Syria. I commend her work.

Debate Adjourned.

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