Portfolio budget statements
Total Australian Official Development Assistance: $4.2 billion
Australian aid, focused on the Indo-Pacific region, serves our national interests by contributing to sustainable economic development and poverty reduction. We support countries to improve their governance and promote private sector-led growth and equality for women and girls.
We assist countries to build resilience to natural disasters and respond to humanitarian crises, guard against the spread of infectious diseases and fight threats such as extremism. Our development assistance magnifies the influence that Australia brings to bear on pressing regional and global problems.
We work collaboratively with International Financial Institutions (including the Asian Development Bank and World Bank) and multilateral organisations (such as United Nations Organisations) to strengthen the international rules based order, protect norms, and drive inclusive sustainable development, in line with Australia's geographic and thematic priorities.
Our aid program is much richer when we engage with Australian and international organisations, big and small, and harness the skills of everyday Australians. We do this through our trusted non-government partnerships, through our new community grants scheme and our volunteers program.
Pacific
$1.3 billion
We are stepping up our support for a more secure and prosperous Pacific.
In 2018–19, $1.3 billion will be provided to the Pacific–our highest-ever contribution– reflecting the fundamental importance to Australia of the stability and economic progress of Pacific island countries.
Highlight: Pacific Labour Facility - $50 million (2017-18 to 2022-23)
We will help Pacific partners build sustainable resilient economies through:
- the undersea telecommunications cables project to Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands–to improve internet connectivity
- Pacific Labour Scheme–to expand labour mobility opportunities
- Australia Pacific Security College–for security and law-enforcement training
- The Pacific Agreement on Closer Economic Relations (PACER) Plus Readiness Program–increasing business confidence through transparent and enforceable rules.
We will address the challenges of climate change, natural disasters and fishery management.
We will work with governments and regional institutions on health and education programs. Our economic reform and investment programs will work to create an enabling environment for businesses and economic growth.
The Australian Federal Police's Pacific Police Development Program will support a broad range of police development activities improving the rule of law as a prerequisite for economic, social and political development.
We will support equality for women and girls through the Pacific Women Shaping Pacific Development program and many other projects.
South-East and East Asia
$1.0 billion
Australia will deliver targeted advice and technical assistance that has a catalytic effect both on reform efforts and capacity development in the region. We will continue to help reduce poverty, address inequality, support free and unencumbered trade and advance human rights in the region.
We will support efforts on transnational challenges such as: reducing crime and people smuggling; strengthening counter terrorism cooperation; and maritime security capacity building.
Highlight: Education Pathways to Peace in Conflict-affected Areas of Mindanao - $90 million (2017-18 to 2026-27)
Our flagship counter-trafficking and safe migration investments support effective regional responses to cross-border governance challenges, human rights issues and stable and inclusive growth.
South and West Asia
$289.9 million
The Australian aid program in South and West Asia is critical to the promotion of an open and inclusive Indo-Pacific region.
Conflict and instability in the region has resulted in one of the world's most protracted humanitarian crises. Our humanitarian assistance in Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan is promoting security by meeting the basic needs of vulnerable and mobile populations.
Highlight: Afghanistan and Pakistan Humanitarian Strategy - $60 million (2018 to 2020)
The Middle East and Africa
$258.5 million
Australia's investments in the Middle East and Africa promote a rules-based order and stability. Our humanitarian commitments in Iraq, Somalia, South Sudan, Syria, and the Palestinian Territories are critical in this regard.
Further, Australia Awards Scholarships promote people-to-people and institutional links.
Highlight: Botswana - Savanna-Burning Project - $3.8 million (2017-18 to 2020-21)
Humanitarian Assistance $410m
The Australian Aid program focuses on helping communities and governments to be better prepared for, and respond to, natural disasters. Investing in disaster risk reduction is the most effective way to reduce the impact of a crisis, save lives and limit the economic costs of a disaster. Risk reduction activities include ensuring buildings are built stronger to ensure they can withstand extreme weather events, improving warning systems, and supporting vulnerable communities to gain access to insurance.
| 2017-18 Budget Estimate $m |
2018-19 Budget Estimate $m |
|
|---|---|---|
| Disaster risk reduction, preparedness and response | 39.0 | 39.0 |
| Protracted crises and strengthening humanitarian action | 78.4 | 87.2 |
| Emergency Fund | 150.0 | 150.0 |
| International Committee of the Red Cross | 27.5 | 27.5 |
| United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs | 8.8 | 10.0 |
| World Food Programme | 40.0 | 40.0 |
| United Nations Central Emergency Response Fund | 11.0 | 11.0 |
| United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees | 25.0 | 25.0 |
| United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East | 20.0 | 20.0 |
| Australian Humanitarian total | 399.7 | 409.7 |
Gender Equality Fund
$55.0 million
Australia's Gender Equality Fund helps empower women and girls by finding innovative ways to improve women's economic participation and access to finance. Through Investing in Women we support mentoring for young women leaders in our region and we strengthen data collection and analysis.
Australia is the first and largest contributor to the Women's Peace and Humanitarian Fund which supports women who prevent conflict, respond to crises and contribute to sustaining peace in their communities.
Innovation
$35.0 million
Innovation is central to our efforts to deliver impact through the Australian aid program. In the year ahead we will lift our ambition further by embedding an innovative mindset and practice across the Australian aid program. We will build a connected innovation ecosystem across the Indo- Pacific to enable entrepreneurs to solve their region's social challenges, drive their economic growth and open up opportunities.
We will be open to new knowledge and practice, our processes and culture will support innovative approaches and our leadership will model good innovation practice.
Table 2: Total Australian ODA by country and region of benefit
Table 3: Sectoral and global allocations
