Senate debates

Wednesday, 7 February 2018

Questions without Notice

International Development Assistance

2:43 pm

Photo of Cory BernardiCory Bernardi (SA, Australian Conservatives) Share this | | Hansard source

Making it three from three, my question is to the Minister for Defence, representing the Minister for Foreign Affairs.

On Friday, US pop star Robyn Fenty, aka Rihanna, tweeted to the foreign minister and the Prime Minister, asking Australia to give $200 million to the Global Partnership for Education. The Global Partnership for Education is chaired by former Prime Minister Gillard, who has strong links with the United Nations and historical links to the scandal-plagued Clinton Foundation. Within hours of Ms Fenty's tweet, the foreign minister responded in kind—emojis and all—that the Australian taxpayer would throw another $90 million at the global partnership. My question is: was this gift of taxpayer money stage managed with Ms Fenty's management for good publicity or did she simply read the tweet and think 'Okay, RiRi there's a lazy $90 million for you'?

2:44 pm

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

I have spoken to DFAT advisors about this issue. Australia was already in the process of providing some support to the global group in question, which had nothing to do with any social media of any sort as I understand it. I will seek further information from the foreign minister, but I am confident that that is the case and that is the answer to Senator Bernardi's question.

Photo of Scott RyanScott Ryan (President) Share this | | Hansard source

Senator Bernardi, a supplementary question?

Photo of Cory BernardiCory Bernardi (SA, Australian Conservatives) Share this | | Hansard source

Australia's debt levels are heading for $600 billion in the forward estimates, hence my move to reinstate a debt ceiling designed to ensure governments and parliaments think twice before making ill-conceived kneejerk funding decisions. Given the minister's assurances on this, is the $90 million that the foreign minister pledged to Ms Fenty going to come from the 2017-18 foreign aid budget, the 2018-19 foreign aid budget, or some glorious foundation for pleasing globalist pop stars?

2:45 pm

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

It's probably important that Senator Bernardi doesn't give up his day job and turn to stand-up comedy for his next role. One thing I can say is that the decision the foreign minister made was made on 15 January—just to be clear about the date—and that, in terms of support for the Global Partnership for Education, our commitment to $90 million over three years extends from 2018 to 2020. These are multilateral pledges that are considered very carefully in the context of overall investment in the sector as well as the broader Australian budget. In terms of the GP itself, I can indicate that, in terms of some of its results, 72 million more children were in primary school in 2015 in GP partner countries than was the case in 2002. For the education of girls and boys, the partnership provides— (Time expired)