Government accused of plans to break pre-election promise over foreign aid funding

Updated

Some of Australia's biggest and best known aid groups are preparing to be stripped of millions of dollars in funding from the Federal Government.

The Coalition announced a $4.5 billion cut to foreign aid two days before the election.

At the time, the Coalition promised more aid spending would be directed towards non-government organisations (NGOs) working on the ground.

However, Marc Purcell, the executive director of the Australian Council for International Development, says the Government is about to break its election promise.

"We're very concerned that the Government is about to cut funding to Australian aid charities," he said.

"We think that this will be in the millions of dollars and in doing so, it will be breaking an election commitment it gave two days before the federal election to actually increase funding to non-government organisations that deliver on-the-ground support for those most in need."

Organisations that will be affected include household names such as World Vision, CARE, Oxfam, Plan Australia and ChildFund, Mr Purcell said.

"We've written and met with the Minister's office several times," he said.

"We've written to Mr Hockey and Mr Robb who gave the election commitment to increase funding to NGOs as part of the Coalition's election commitment and, frankly, we've had no response."

Aid charities are worried they will lose as much as 20 per cent of the funding they get from the government.

"At the end of the day, the Australian aid budget is only 1.4 per cent of the entire federal budget," Mr Purcell said.

"The $653 million cuts are actually a very large proportion of the overall budget savings towards Mr Hockey's surplus, so we think that the aid program is being disproportionately affected in trying to find those budget savings, and we certainly don't think that the Government should be breaking its election commitment to aid charity."

Mr Purcell says some of the poorest nations in the Asia-Pacific region will lose out.

Bishop says Government committed to 'sustainable' aid program

Foreign Affairs Minister Julie Bishop says the Government is "committed to a generous yet sustainable aid program of around $5 billion a year".

"The foreign aid budget will continue to increase across the forward estimates at the Consumer Price Index, which will provide certainty for the program," she said in a statement.

"The Government will re-prioritise foreign aid allocations towards non-government organisations that deliver on-the-ground support for those most in need.

"The Government is positioning the aid program to be more effective, efficient, with a focus on our region and aligned with our national interests.

"The program will promote economic development with a focus on aid for trade."

Ms Bishop says details on the reductions for the aid program for this financial year are currently being finalised.

Topics: government-and-politics, foreign-affairs, budget, international-aid-and-trade, australia

First posted