Lyn Allison (Victoria, Australian Democrats) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Foreign Affairs. I refer to criticism earlier this year by the UN Secretary-General of the sharp decline in international funding for reproductive health and family planning. Is the minister aware that universal access to family planning would reduce maternal deaths by 20 to 35 per cent and child deaths by 20 per cent? Is the government aware that 200 million women in the developing world have no access to contraception and are unable to plan their families? If so, when will the government reverse the massive cut in Australia’s family planning aid over the last 12 years from 0.44 per cent in 1996 to just 0.07 per cent last year?

John Faulkner (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Cabinet Secretary) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I will assist Senator Allison where I can, certainly in relation to one aspect of the question which she raises, which goes to the issue of the recommendations of the report of the all-party Parliamentary Group on Population and Development on sexual and reproductive health in the Australian aid program, which I am sure is part of what Senator Allision is referring to. The Senate may know, and Senator Allison may be aware, that the government is certainly considering the implications of the report’s recommendations. Senators might be aware that this all-party group was previously chaired by Dr Mal Washer, a member of the House of Representatives, and is now chaired by my colleague Senator Claire Moore.

I can say to you as far as the government’s approach on this particular issue is concerned, Mr President, that the federal parliamentary Labor Party has, as I understand it, formed a subcommittee to consider the recommendations of the report, including the recommendation to abolish the Australian government’s aid program’s family planning guidelines. I can say to you, because I am a member of the Australian parliamentary Labor Party, that I certainly understand that this particular group has been formed by self-selection. The government’s approach is that any member or senator who has an interest in these issues certainly has an opportunity to put forward a point of view and to participate fully in the discussions of the group.

I think it is important to acknowledge that around the parliament, not only in this chamber but also in the House of Representatives, there are very strong views on these issues. I would always—and always have when these issues are debated—both within the chamber itself and certainly within the parliamentary party that I belong to, acknowledge that these strong views are genuinely held by members and senators. I can say to you, as far as the government, the Minister for Foreign Affairs and the Prime Minister are concerned, these issues are going to be seriously considered and all views will be taken into account.

The only other thing I can add to this, Senator Allison, which may assist you in relation to the question that you have asked is that at this stage there has been no date determined for the finalisation of this process.

Lyn Allison (Victoria, Australian Democrats) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a supplementary question. I thank the minister for his answer but I was actually asking about the funding provided for family planning. Useful though the answer was with regard to the family planning guidelines, which no doubt have some influence over the amount of funding which is provided for family planning, my question to you was: how come—and you are not responsible; I realise this—over the last 12 years family planning funding has dropped from 0.44 per cent to 0.07 per cent? That is a massive cut down to one-sixth of what it was in 1996. So I ask you: will the government deliver on its commitment to the ICPD, by the Keating government in 1994, reaffirmed by the Howard government in 2005, to sexual and reproductive health being at least four per cent—not 0.4 per cent but four per cent—of aid spending? Is the new minister aware that the Parliamentary Group on Population and Development, to which he referred, recommends that this aid be raised to 10 per cent of ODA?

Alan Ferguson (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Allison, this is a very long question.

John Faulkner (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Cabinet Secretary) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Some elements of the supplementary question I will need to seek some advice on from the minister, because the senator asked me of the minister’s views. I can say to Senator Allison that, within the health component of the aid program, the government certainly takes the issues of sexual and reproductive health very seriously. I understand that the estimate is that it is 4.8 per cent of Australia’s total aid program—or more than $152 million this financial year is being spent on controlling sexually transmitted infections, including HIV, and on reproductive healthcare, family planning and population policy through international aid agencies and also through non-government organisations. That is the limit of the detail I have, and I am very happy to ask Minister Smith if he can provide any further information on the other elements of the question and supplementary. (Time expired)