After Treasure Joe Hockey's mid-year budget announcement on Monday, the scheduled reduction of Australia's foreign aid budget—due to be cut by A$1 billion over the next year—means that the government can officially claim the most substantial aid cut in the history of the nation.
Responses of outrage emerged from the charity and NGO sector, and individuals such as Reverend Tim Costello spoke passionately on behalf of the world's less fortunate people, who he believes will invariably miss out on the opportunities that foreign aid usually affords them.
After Oxfam Australia's chief executive called the foreign aid budget an "ATM" for the Coalition's economic leadership, who also possess the PIN, Dr Helen Szoke spoke with the media again on Saturday:
"You can't cut a budget as harshly and as significantly as the aid budget has been cut without it having some impact on the ambition on what was put into that aid paradigm. If you cut the aid budget it must have an impact on getting women out of poverty."
Dr Szoke's concerns echo those of faith organisations such as the global Christian charity, Micah Challenge. Ben Thurley,Political Engagement Coordinator for Micah Challenge Australia, found the mid-year foreign aid news "absolutely disgraceful". Thurley subsequently used the media to remind the public about the "real difference" that Australian aid has made in nations like Indonesia and Bangladesh.
Furthermore, Mr Hockey's update, whereby nearly $4 billion will be lost over the next four years, was publicised after Foreign Minister Julie Bishop delivered an inspirational speech in June. Ms Bishop stated that supporting females in the region was a "personal passion", and even considered the possibility that it is the nation's "most important priority" in terms of aid. International Women's Development Agency chief executive Joanne Hayter expressed utter disbelief on Saturday that foreign aid cuts are being talked about only six months later.
While Ms Hayter fears "absolutely catastrophic consequences" from the massive funding cuts, Dr Szoke reminded reporters about the serious issues for women that exist in Australia's region: "... in Pacific countries the rates of violence against women are in fact the highest in the world ... Up to 68 per cent of Pacific women report physical or sexual abuse." Dr Szoke's Oxfam colleague, the International Gender and Emergency Group's Jo Podlesak, added that her foremost concern is that the foreign aid cuts could significantly hamper Australia's response to emergency situations.
