Alex Hawke (Mitchell, Liberal Party, Minister for International Development and the Pacific) Share this | Hansard source

I'd like to thank all the members who have made contributions to this debate, on the Official Development Assistance Multilateral Replenishment Obligations (Special Appropriation) Bill 2019.

As the government has pointed out, the bill is a standing appropriation to meet Australia's international development commitments to the World Bank's International Development Association; the World Bank's debt relief schemes, including the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries Initiative and the Multilateral Debt Relief Initiative; the Asian Development Bank's Asian Development Fund; the Global Environment Facility Trust Fund; and the Multilateral Fund for the Implementation of the Montreal Protocol.

Consistent with our membership arrangements with these organisations, Australia pledges to replenish our financial contribution every three to four years, with payments being made over a three- to 10-year period. The funds to meet the commitments authorised by the bill will come from the agreed official development assistance budget. Our contributions to these organisations constitute an important component of Australia's support for the promotion, protection and improvement of the international rules based order. These organisations complement Australia's efforts at the country and regional level to promote the prosperity and the security of the Indo-Pacific region. I'm glad to see that members unanimously support these measures within the bill.

I do want to briefly address the criticisms that have been raised by those opposite—and I do mean briefly—about the government's financial commitment for overseas development assistance. I particularly note that the government's position on the ODA budget was endorsed by the Australian people. It was the position we took to the Australian people at the election and it was endorsed by them just six months ago. The Morrison government's aid budget is affordable, targeted and effective. This year we're delivering $4 billion in official development assistance, including a record $1.4 billion for the Pacific. For the record, $1.4 billion is the most ever spent in a year by any Australian government.

This year our humanitarian funding is increasing to $450 million in 2019-20, allowing us to work with our friends and neighbours to help them prepare for, recover from and provide emergency relief during natural disasters.

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