To What Extent Should Australia's Foreign Aid Be Reduce

Whether Australia’s foreign aid should be reduced
Today I’m bringing a serious subject that has influenced the world and the development of countries around us into perspective. Foreign aid, and how the government should increase it, but first we have to ask the question, “What is foreign aid?” Simply, it is the economic, or military aid given by one nation to another for purposes of relief and rehabilitation, for economic stabilization, or for mutual defense.
The G20 or group of 20 is the premier forum for its members’ international economic cooperation and decision making. And their existence is more important than ever because the world’s economy is in such a precarious state and so the decisions they make will be vital in the development of poorer countries.
A part of this that people may not recognize is that when the economy is weak, the poorest countries suffer the most. $1 dollar can help a hundred people in a poor country more than it can help someone in a rich or developed country. Although we have stronger affinity towards our citizens and if money was equally effective we would choose our own citizens first, when it’s 100 times more effective in impacting lives,
then we think we’re all human beings. The suffering of a mother whose child is sick and might die is a universal value. And if a dollar has so much impact then I must ask you, not as a student, but as a fellow human: why are we all still so greedy?
If I were to ask you what percentage of the federal budget is spent on foreign aid, would you be surprised that it is 0.35%? That equates to $5.44 billion dollars of our GNI (gross national income) in 2012. The government expects to reach 0.5% by 2017, but in recent media, Julie Bishop, the Minister of foreign affairs has implemented a cap of 5 billion dollars over the next two financial years. The promise Australia made with the UN along with many other developed countries, was an agreed 0.7% of our countries GNI. The 2014 Australian budget IS a broken election promise to the world’s poorest people. The Abbott Government has torn up its promise to increase aid. This year’s budget, announced two days ago, shows that the Australian government is cutting the country’s foreign aid spending by $7.6 billion over the next five years. This will hurt the most vulnerable members of the communities around the world.
Every second we breathe, 30, 000 children under the age of five die from preventable diseases.
It is made evident that Australia’s contribution to alleviate poverty through overseas aid is successful. The average life expectancy of individuals living in developing countries has increased by approximately twenty years in the last decade, which is substantial in contrast to the figures fifty years ago. Vanuatu has reduced the incidence of malaria by 80% with the support of Australian aid. It is a myth that foreign aid doesn’t work. 79% of Australians, according to the essential report, agree that the Government should reduce spending in foreign aid when 41% don’t know what it is. The ignorance surrounding foreign aid is what potentiates suffering of individuals living in developing
countries.
Australia is already providing less foreign aid compared to other developed countries. We are ranked 13th. The Abbott Government’s abolition of Ausaid, which manages our tax dollars for overseas aid, is because they want to see a better alignment between aid, trade and diplomatic programs. Tony Abbott and I quote: “doesn’t want our diplomacy going in one direction and aid programs going in another direction” yet there is no evidence for this. Aid vs Diplomacy is a false dichotomy. Helping neighbouring countries develop strong economies means a better market for our own goods. Helping our neighbours improve their health systems means fewer health threats. Increasing the number of children in our region going to school reduces the opportunity for indoctrination in place of education. The success of our neighbours are good for us. In 2006 and 2007, Australia gave 2.9 billion dollars through Ausaid and in 2013, 2014, it grew to 5.44 billion dollars, almost doubling the overseas assistance. Now, the proportaion of aid to GNI is back to 2000, 2001 levels under Abbott’s government, especially now that foreign aid will grow in line with the Consumer Price Index or inflation rate.
With the help of global initiatives, the number of people living in poverty has fallen by 200 million people since 1980 and increasing. Australia shouldn’t turn their back on the less fortunate as an affluent country. The children suffering every single day rely on our international aid. The government has slashed the foreign aid budget which causes many problems and places a strain on our relationship with other countries. If Australia works with the countries we’re aiding, to redirect foreign aid funds to prioritise assets, deregulate their economy and opened up their economy to global trade for economic growth, then the output of foreign aid would be effective in forming a sustainable economy and alleviating poverty. We should raise our Foreign aid budget to the agreed 0.7% GNI. Australia is a generous country, we can afford to provide aid to those in need and grow, not only as a country, but as humans of this earth.