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Aid Budget cut again
May 10, 2017
Already at historic low levels, Australia’s aid budget will be cut again in last night’s Federal Budget.
The CEO of the Australian Council for International Development, Marc Purcell, released this statement after reviewing the budget’s plans for Overseas Development Assistance:
“Off the back of swinging cuts worth $11.3bn over the last four years, the aid budget is set to decline yet again. This is a further cut of over $300m over four years.
“The aid budget is bouncing along the bottom and does not add up to a vision of what role we want to play in the world.
“We have reached a fork in the road where we need to determine what our long-term response will be to growing suffering and vast discrepancies of wealth and opportunity – turn inwards or offer a generous hand?
“As a nation who believes in giving others a fair-go, we think this Government should commit to rebuilding the aid budget and rebuild bridges with other nations to tackle the common global challenges we see.”
ABM advocates for an increase in the Australian aid budget, in line with OECD commitments, to allocate 0.7% of Gross National Income to foreign aid. Australia’s contribution to Foreign Aid currently stands at 0.22% of Gross National Income. This compares unfavourably to other countries such as the United Kingdom, whose current contribution to foreign aid stands at 0.71%.
Your voice can send a strong message that our budget should reflect compassion and a fair-go for all. Contact your local MP today, either by phone or a pre-written email, by clicking the links below.
Phone – http://budget.australianaid.org/
