SENATOR PENNY WONG
LEADER OF THE AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY IN THE SENATE
SHADOW MINISTER FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS
LABOR SENATOR FOR SOUTH AUSTRALIA

PAT CONROY MP
SHADOW MINISTER FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND THE PACIFIC
SHADOW MINISTER ASSISTING FOR CLIMATE CHANGE
SHADOW MINISTER ASSISTING FOR DEFENCE
SHADOW MINISTER ASSISTING ON GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTABILITY
MEMBER FOR SHORTLAND

Scott Morrison has cut millions of dollars from Australia’s overseas development assistance budget despite rising geopolitical tensions in our region and the continued health and economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The overseas development assistance budget for 2021-22 is $4.335 billion, down from $4.479 billion in the last financial year.

That’s a cut of $144 million.

Despite bragging last night about providing an extra $335 million in COVID-19 support over the next financial year, this is down from the $479.7 million provided in 2020-21.

The impact of the pandemic in our region is only getting worse, with infections rising from India, to Timor-Leste, Papua New Guinea and Fiji among others.

This Budget from the Morrison Government confirms they don’t deliver our national interests in the region and are willing to jeopardise our shared recovery by failing to step up and ensure Australia is a partner of choice in our region.

Since the Liberals came into office in 2013, they have slashed Australian official development assistance by more than $11.8 billion, hurting some of the poorest and most vulnerable people in the world.

Authorised by Paul Erickson, ALP, Canberra.