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

I would like to make a very brief comment on this important AusAID report, after which I will seek leave to continue my remarks later. The recently released AusAID annual report does provide a valuable insight into the management of Australia's foreign aid program for the 2012-13 financial year. I think that recent events in the Philippines in the wake of Supertyphoon Haiyan are a very stark reminder of the importance of our aid program in lending a hand to some of the world's most vulnerable people. Australia's aid program also serves our national interests, of course, by promoting stability and prosperity in our region and around the world.

This report mentions the first Annual Review of Aid Effectiveness, conducted in January this year, and I certainly welcome the review. I welcome it because increased accountability and transparency enhance the effectiveness of Australia's overseas aid program. The review of aid effectiveness measured the performance of the Australian government aid program 2011-12 against the comprehensive aid policy framework. It encompassed the aid spending of all participating Australian government agencies, which is around 60 in total. The results of the review were encouraging:

The 2011-12 results demonstrate we are making good progress and are broadly on track to deliver the results committed to by the government under their aid policy framework.

I am pleased that the opposition has always had a strong commitment to growing and increasing the effectiveness of the Australian overseas aid budget. Under previous Labor governments, Australia's contribution to official development assistance did grow very significantly. In 2006-07 the Australian government invested $2.9 billion, but by 2013-14 that had grown to $5.7 billion, tremendous growth in anyone's language. The Labor Party does remain committed to a target of contributing 0.5 per cent of gross national income to the Australian aid budget, with a longer term target of 0.7 per cent of GNI.

The Abbott government's recent decision to slash the Australian aid budget by $4.5 billion is a very disappointing decision, to say the least. There has been significant upheaval with the merger of AusAID with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. It was sudden, it was stressful and it has left many unanswered questions about the administration of Australia's aid program. I fear that recommendations from the recent review of aid effectiveness will not be delivered. I fear that many of those recommendations will just be ignored.

As you know, Mr Deputy President, Australia is a modern, advanced and generous nation, and, as responsible global citizens, it is our obligation to assist those less fortunate, an obligation that has been—I have got to acknowledge—accepted by successive governments of all political persuasions. It is an obligation—I certainly hope and believe that it is an obligation—supported by the vast majority of Australians.

I commend the AusAID annual reportto the Senate and credit the former AusAID, now merged with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, and other participating government agencies for their excellent work. I seek leave to continue my remarks later.

Leave granted.