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

We don't borrow every day to fund the ordinary services of the government, so we don't borrow to fund the aid budget either. But Bob Carr learnt that after his time in office, and he wrote a book about it.

The Labor approach, of course, to aid was rejected in 2013, 2016 and 2019. The people have endorsed the stable and certain approach to the aid budget at three elections now. It has been repeatedly endorsed, and it really highlights the government's commitment to a stable, secure and prosperous global community—indeed, a prosperous, stable and secure Indo-Pacific region. We're going to continue to prioritise aid spending in a way that meets Australians' national interest, with a particular focus on our region under the Pacific step-up, and we make no apology for prioritising aid spending in Australia's national interest with a focus on the Indo-Pacific region. I commend the bill to the House.

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