A LOCAL politician is calling for a wider conversation about what Australia’s response to world issues will be in the future.
In his last speech to parliament prior to Budget week, Federal Member for Mallee, Andrew Broad has called on the Turnbull Government to increase its expenditure on foreign aid.
During his presentation in the House of Representatives, Mr Broad said Australia’s commitment to foreign aid had dropped from $5 billion per year to $3.8 billion and he believes this is inconsistent with the current challenges faced by people around the world.
“Currently there are 60 million displaced people on the move globally and 30 million of those are children,” he said.
“The decisions we make as a government and the decisions other governments of the world make, are either those which bring about resolution and peace or, they cause the suffering and death of many, many millions of people.”
With people increasingly looking to western countries, like Australia, as they seek refuge from persecution and poverty, the Nationals MP believes it is this country’s role, both as a global citizen and a first world nation, to support people in crisis, across the world.
“Previous reductions in our foreign aid spend have allowed us to re-evaluate and improve how we deliver our foreign aid and through that, we’ve joined programs to support the availability of medicines and to develop fresh ground water projects, for example but now is the time to build on that,” he said.
“We need to think about our budget and about what the Australian government’s longer term response is going to be.
“The world seems to be arming itself. We should break that trend and actually become more compassionate and more responsive.”
