Foreign Affairs Minister Julie Bishop’s announcement about the latest cuts to Australia’s overseas aid budget marks another Coalition government broken promise that will mean the end to a range of poverty eradication programs in Africa, the Middle East, Asia and the Pacific, Greens overseas aid spokesperson Senator Lee Rhiannon said today.
“Minister Bishop is implementing cruel policies with cuts to some of Australia’s most effective aid programs run by non-government organisations as well as those undertaken by international bodies like UNICEF and the World Health Organisation,” Senator Rhiannon said.
“A worrying aspect of the Minister’s plan is that while cutting funds to aid NGOs she has opened the door to greater involvement of private companies in Australia’s overseas aid program.
“Minister Bishop is turning the clock back on the advances made in focusing Australia’s aid program on poverty alleviation. Under the Howard government aid money going to Australian consultants skyrocketed and there was greater reliance on businesses in the aid program.