Zed Seselja (ACT, Liberal Party, Minister for International Development and the Pacific) Share this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Paterson for the question. The COVID-19 pandemic has caused immense disruption here in Australia and across our region. Our response is simple. We are supporting Australians and we are supporting our region. Through this budget, the government is investing in an open, inclusive and resilient Indo-Pacific region. Labor is maintaining an outrageous lie—that we have cut development funding in the budget. Let me be perfectly clear: we've maintained Australia's baseline $4 billion ODA budget, which will continue over the forward estimates, rising in the out years. And, in response to the pandemic, the government is delivering $1 billion of additional investments over the years to 2023-24—over $800 million this year and next. We make no apology for the government front-loading these investments. Is Labor really arguing that we should hold off on supporting our neighbours at this critical time as they are dealing—