Anne McEwen (SA, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I, and also on behalf of Senator Moore, move:

(a) notes:

(i) the importance of the Australian aid program to sustainable economic and social development and poverty alleviation for Pacific nations,

(ii) the contribution of the Australian aid program to Australia’s national interests through support for regional stability, security and prosperity,

(iii) the verbal commitment by the Minister for Foreign Affairs to not cut Australian development assistance to Pacific nations, and

(iv) the announcement by the Minister on 18 January 2014 that $650 million will be cut from Australia’s development assistance in 2013-14, including $61.4 million to the following Pacific country and regional programs:

  Papua New Guinea – $5.3 million,

  Solomon Islands – $14.2 million,

  Vanuatu – $6.2 million,

  Samoa – $3.6 million,

  Fiji – $2.8 million,

  Tonga – $2.7 million,

  Kiribati – $3 million,

  Other small Pacific islands – $3.6 million, and

  Pacific regional – $20 million;

(b) calls on the Minister to meet her commitment to not cut Australian development assistance to Pacific nations; and

(c) calls on the Government to reverse its $4.5 billion in cuts to Australia’s aid program and work to reinstate funding to levels published in the 2013 14 Budget.