Marise Payne (NSW, Liberal Party, Minister for Defence) Share this | Hansard source

I would like to draw on the expertise of my colleague Minister Birmingham, but, if one began with youth allowance and HECS in and of themselves as contributions that support students from regional Australia, that would be a good place to start in the conversation. But the two are not mutually exclusive, and I think that is the most important aspect to consider here. I've outlined the contribution and the engagement that Australia Awards recipients make in their own countries as a result of Australia's engagement, and the total cost of the program over the year 2017-18 is $320 million. Over 86 per cent of it is also directed to the Indo-Pacific region. This is an important area of key focus for Australia. It's an important area in which we should be investing in people. People-to-people relationships that can be developed through the work of the Australia Awards are essential to our standing in the region.