Julian Hill (Bruce, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I rise to strongly support the motion of the member for Moreton, which acknowledges Australia's role in reducing poverty and increasing prosperity through international aid and development assistance, and recognises that Australian aid improves the lives of millions of people every year. We have seen enormous progress through the benefits of our aid in reducing poverty, hunger and epidemics. We also see in our region the immense and emerging challenges of war and climate change and the increasing challenge of displaced people. Across the Asia-Pacific 330 million people still live in extreme poverty, 1½ billion people lack safe sanitation and one in seven still suffer malnutrition.

Australia has had a very proud history of generous and effective aid. Despite our status as one of the richest countries in the world, it is a matter of great concern to many Australians that our international aid appears to have fallen. Indeed, on many metrics it's reported to be at the lowest level in our history. We are now down at around 20c in every $100 because of the sustained cuts, budget after budget, by this government. We have fallen, shamefully, to 17th out of 29, and trending down, in the OECD. I saw that on the weekend the latest contribution to public policy of the Western Australian Young Liberals—bless them—was to cut foreign aid by half again.

All members in this place would hear widely different views in the community, ranging from the enormous concern—the moral position, if you like—that we should do more to the pragmatic concern that Australia's international standing in the region and the global community and our influence as a middle power does matter. I have also heard from people in my electorate the transactional concerns that we should continue but we should focus only on our direct national, security and economic interests—and I appreciate that. Also there is the view that charity begins at home and that we should cut all or most of our foreign aid. That ranges, to be fair, from a genuine concern or focus on how we have to prioritise our domestic needs to, as I've also heard in my community, some quite mean-spirited views—that we're just pandering to the United Nations.

My view is that international aid must remain a core part of Australia's foreign policy. But there is, indeed, a moral case in a world of increasing inequality—it's not just domestically but around the globe. Who knew: trickle-down economics doesn't just fail here; it fails globally! Humans are literally starving and drowning in our region. Yes, we have enormous needs at home but it cannot be either/or. We can walk and chew gum at the same time, and we should and must continue to do our part to address extreme poverty.

The global standing of Australia also does matter, in my view. We're part of a community of nations. We must maintain and enhance our influence and standing. It does count in international forums. You do have more influence when you're seen to actually care about your neighbours and do your bit. Labor, of course, has always believed in good international citizenship and believes our generosity in times of need—perhaps, most recently, in a very stark way, the Indonesian tsunami—is noticed and remembered. Yes, economic opportunities can arise from our aid. Our education and skills build credibility and trust for future business.

I'd also point out that we have enormous direct national interest in a stable and peaceful region. Prosperity and development does matter. The security of our neighbours is enhanced through economic development. Also, in a very mercenary way, frankly, it's cheaper to invest in aid and development than to deal with failed states in our region—vastly cheaper, as any Treasury official would quietly admit to you. We've heard of terrorism growing in the region. It is undeniably a fact that failed states and states experiencing gross inequality and poverty are the primary breeding grounds for terrorism.

In closing, I mention that, in June, I was a guest of The Global Fund in Thailand and Myanmar. I travelled with a number of members of the House and was privileged to witness firsthand Australia's contribution and the work on the ground in addressing tuberculosis, malaria and HIV prevention in the region. As well as the moral case, the health case, we have enormous national interest in helping to address the rise of drug-resistant tuberculosis and drug-resistant malaria in our region. This stuff sitting in PNG can come directly into Australia through our northern border. In that context, it was devastating to hear, particularly from our friends in Myanmar, of the impact of 40 to 50 per cent cuts in the last couple of budgets to such small programs that affect public health. Indeed, the phrase 'was aid' was bandied around quite commonly in the meetings we had. I endorse the member for Moreton's motion.

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