Budget Highlights
In 2009-10, the Government will implement initiatives targeted at responding to the global recession and advancing the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs)
Scaling up Australia's Official Development Assistance
- Australia's aid will increase to 0.34 per cent of GNI in 2009‑10, and to 0.40 per cent of GNI by 2012‑13. Australian aid to education, health and infrastructure, including water and sanitation, will total more than $1.8 billion in 2009-10, up from an estimated $1.3 billion in 2008-09, an increase of over 30 per cent.
Responding to the global recession
- Australia will prioritise efforts to respond to the impacts of the global recession on Australia's developing country partners. Australia's response will target the needs of the most vulnerable, growth and employment creation and the maintenance of essential service delivery. Major initiatives will include:
- Food Security through Rural Development ($464.2m over 4 years) will support increases in food production globally and strengthen the ability of developing countries in the Asia-Pacific and Africa to address food insecurity — page 20
- Economic Infrastructure ($454.2m over 4 years) will fund high priority infrastructure needs in developing countries facilitating economic growth and job creation — page 23
- Asian Development Bank (ADB) General Capital Increase (US$197.6m over 10 years) will ensure the ADB can significantly expand its lending capacity for development programs in the Asia-Pacific to promote growth and reduce poverty — page 66
Working with partners
- Performance-linked Aid ($336.1m over 4 years) will help partner governments in the Asia-Pacific to implement priority reforms, contributing to faster progress towards the MDGs and other development priorities — page 34
- Improving Responsiveness and Accountability in Government ($138.6m over 4 years) will strengthen community leadership, improve government and public sector effectiveness and citizens' engagement with government and support anti-corruption efforts — page 33
- Debt-to-Health Swap with the Government of Indonesia ($75m over 6 years) will cancel debt owed by Indonesia to Australia in parallel with increased Indonesian Government investment in programs combating tuberculosis — page 28
- Afghanistan and Pakistan Assistance ($352.8m over 4 years) will increase Australia's humanitarian and development assistance to Afghanistan and Pakistan, targeting education, health, agriculture rural development and improved governance — page 59
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