Call for Coalition to join consensus on rebuilding aid budget

Monday, June 20, 2016

World Vision welcomes today’s announcement by the Australian Greens Party of a costed plan to rebuild the Australian aid budget. 

World Vision Chief Executive Tim Costello said the Green’s plan to increase aid to 0.7 per cent of GNI over the coming decade showed that there was broad consensus in support of rebuilding the aid budget across a the spectrum of Australian politics.

“There are now four parties from the right to the left with concrete plans to rebuild the aid budget; from Bob Day’s Family First through to the Nick Xenophon Party, to the ALP and now the Greens.”

Mr Costello called on the Coalition to join the political consensus in Australia in support of restoring Australian aid.

“I invite Malcom Turnbull and Scott Morrison to use this election campaign to recommit to a bipartisan aid policy that will restore a fair and effective budget for Australian aid,” Mr Costello said.

“There is a clear consensus on this. Churches, business leaders, many compassionate ordinary Australians and now four of the parities that represent them are calling for a return to a better and effective Australian aid program,” Mr Costello said.

Three years of successive cuts under the LNP Coalition which slashed $11 billion from Australia’s aid budget has pushed it to its lowest level in the nation’s history he said.

 “The continuous aid cuts of the past three years have put real lives and children’s futures at risk, as well as undermining Australia’s role in the world, our regional and global security and prosperity.” 

Aid cuts were also not good for Australian business especially those wanting to work in the region, he said

 “Investment in aid enhances the potential for business and trade opportunities for Australian business, particularly in our region. So when you slash aid, you are also slashing these opportunities.”

World Vision had been forced to cut funding to programs providing basic education, health and access to clean water for some of the world’s most vulnerable people as a result of the cuts.

 “We simply don’t have enough funds to implement projects where they are most needed, to help lift the world’s poorest children out of poverty,” he said.

There was an urgent need to return Australia’s aid budget to its pre-Abbott levels of $5.5 billion over the life of the next parliament Mr Costello said.

For interviews, please contact: Tim Costello: 0411 633 446 or Mary-Louise O’Callaghan 0427 413 816, Mary-Louise.O’Callaghan@WorldVision.com.au

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