Concetta Fierravanti-Wells (NSW, Liberal Party, Minister for International Development and the Pacific) Share this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Reynolds for her question. We have not only stabilised our overseas development assistance in this 2017 budget but also, actually, increased it. We recognise that we have to live within our means, and that is, of course, in contrast with those opposite and their six years of fiscal vandalism. They cranked up their overseas development assistance with their spend first and then ask questions later approach. In this budget, our overseas development assistance will increase by $84 million to $3.9 billion. There will be a further increase in next year's budget to $4 billion, and then to deliver our budget surplus in 2020-21 overseas development assistance will stay at $4 billion for two years.

We deliver targeted and focused overseas development assistance. We focus on affordable incomes, with good international relations. For example, we will spend almost $400 million next year on protracted crises and emergencies—a $60 million increase. And we know that addressing protracted crises and emergencies is critical, because these are the fundamental causes of extremism, of insecurity and of economic instability. We are also focused on providing stability in the Middle East. There is our $100 million over three years for humanitarian support for stabilisation efforts in Iraq. This follows on from our commitment last year of $220 million to Syria and neighbouring countries for humanitarian needs, and that is in addition to contributions that we are making in Somalia, Sudan and Myanmar. Ninety per cent of our budget will continue to be spent in our region to add to regional stability, prosperity and security.