With the Abbott government about to slash $4.5 billion over the next 4 years from Australia’s foreign aid budget will Australia be seen as, although an affluent nation, one that has little regard for its much poorer neighbors. At present Australia commits 0.37% of national income to foreign aid, this will fall to 0.33% under Abbott, where as the ideal minimum should be 0.50%.
I have a particular interest in Australia’s aid both government and private to our near neighbors in the Pacific, countries like Fiji, Vanuatu, Tonga and Samoa. About 20% of Australia’s total aid package is directed to these small Pacific nations, where Australia along with New Zealand are the biggest aid providers.
Aid groups say the proposed cuts by Australia will have a profound effect on these small Pacific nations. The government believes slashing the foreign aid budget will improve Australia’s bottom line and I am sure it will, but at what cost to Australia and our poorer neighbors. UNICEF Australia chief executive, Norman Gillespie says news of the foreign aid cuts came as a surprise. "This has come as quite a shock, the size of the cuts, the scale of them and simply the giving up of the principle of a civilized nation helping those who are in extreme poverty and in need," he said. Oxfam Australia Chief Executive Dr Helen Szoke says the cuts are at the expense of the worlds most vulnerable. The previous Labor government had proposed a delay in reaching a target of 0.50% of revenue being spent on aid. Unfortunately these Coalition cuts will have a devastating impact on existing successful Australian aid programs in these poor countries such as children’s vaccination and schooling.
Australia should rethink its proposal to cut foreign aid, particularly to our small Pacific neighbors who depend so much on our assistance

While ever our current financial position forces job cuts and service cuts we should share the pain by cutting this too.
If people could place any trust in giving aid privately , and we can not, it is not going to those we intend, I am sure such donations would bridge the gap.

Paul,

Just another example of this govt's putrid lack of humanity when dealing with anyone who ain't us.

It's come to a pretty pass when a government is elected by its people on the grounds of least compassion.

Especially for a first world industrialised nation with one of the highest standards of living in the world...one which used to accept it's "grown-up" responsibilities to its poorer neighbours as a given.

Makes you wonder where we as a nation are headed.

Papua New Guinea has been given 1.2 million Dollars a day from Australia since so-called independence in 1975. What have they got to show for it ?

We give aid to Indonesia, seeing the size of their armed forces is it justified ?
Do we still give aid to China ?

A cut to zero there would probably cover it all.

When you read the media or listen to media programs etc where people are complaining about the foreign aid budget NOTICE almost always 1 thing it is the bosses of them or the charities that are jumping up and down.

Question 1, what are the salaries and extra benefits of the top 10 people in each of those organizations. Try walking into 1 of them and asking that question, they will quickly show you the door.

These people are just trying to protect there HIGH salaries.