Saturday, 18 Ianuary 2014

A|d budget cuts spe|| d|saster for vu|nerab|e ch||dren across the As|a-
ac|f|c, says Save the Ch||dren

1he AusLrallan governmenL's $630 mllllon ln cuLs Lo Lhe 2013-14 ald budgeL
announced Loday wlll lmpacL some of Lhe mosL vulnerable chlldren ln Lhe reglon,
Save Lhe Chlldren says.

Save Lhe Chlldren was Lold LhaL fundlng for lLs lnLernaLlonal ald programs, whlch
malnly operaLe ln Lhe Asla-aclflc, would be slashed by $600,000.

Save Lhe Chlldren CLC aul 8onalds sald: 1hls ls a broken promlse by Lhe federal
governmenL and lL wlll have dlsasLrous lmpllcaLlons for chlldren and famllles ln our
reglon.

Cur lnLernaLlonal programs reach mllllons of chlldren and famllles each year,
lncludlng Lhrough nuLrlLlon programs ln Cambodla, vlLal healLh servlces ln Laos and
non-formal educaLlon servlces for refugees from Myanmar who have fled Lo
1halland.

1hls flgure represenLs a slgnlflcanL cuL Lo our lnLernaLlonal programs budgeL.
Chlldren and famllles rely on our programs and for many, Lhe beglnnlng of Lhe nexL
flnanclal year wlll mean we can no longer help Lhem. 1he CovernmenL ls forclng us
Lo plck up Lhe pleces from Lhelr broken promlse".

Mr 8onalds sald Lhe lmpacL of Lhe cuLs would go beyond Lhose communlLles dlrecLly
affecLed.

1hese cuLs form parL of Lhe $4.3 bllllon ln cuLs Lo Lhe ald budgeL announced Lwo
days before Lhe federal elecLlon," Mr 8onalds sald.

Pavlng a sLrong, well LargeLed and effecLlve ald program ls ln our naLlonal lnLeresL.
lL helps supporL economlc growLh across Lhe reglon, promoLes reglonal sLablllLy and
lmproves healLh sysLems ln developlng counLrles, whlch beneflLs us all.

8uL Lhere ls no doubL LhaL cuLLlng fundlng by $630 mllllon wlll weaken Lhe reglon."

Ior |nterv|ew w|th au| kona|ds contact Lvan Schuurman on 0400 S46 942.
Australian aid an investment in security and prosperity: Oxfam
18 J an 2014
Details released today of government cuts to Australian aid meant that Australia
would be investing less in security, prosperity and in improving the lives of those
living in extreme poverty, Oxfam Australia said today.

Oxfam Chief Executive Dr Helen Szoke said today that the cuts would affect people
living in extreme poverty in a number of regions around the world.

"Targeted and effective aid not only saves, and drastically improves peoples lives, it
also helps to create the necessary pre-conditions for sustainable and
shared economic growth, Dr Szoke said.

"The Australian aid program is one that Australians can be proud of and one that
invests in the security and prosperity of our region."

The Abbott Government today has announced the details of a 2013-14 budget cut of
$650 million to aid.

J ust as Foreign Affairs staff had to do yesterday, we will now go to some of those
people we have been supporting and tell them that we can no longer support them,
which will be acutely disheartening for them," Dr Szoke said.

For Oxfam, Dr Szoke said this meant looking at critical work to better prepare
communities for disasters such as typhoons and earthquakes in Indonesia, Timor
Leste and Bangladesh, and ongoing work to reduce violence against women in
Indonesia and PNG.

Dr Szoke said she was also disappointed to see humanitarian and emergencies
funding cut by $75.4 million, given the world was facing its worst humanitarian crisis
of the 21
st
century with the Syria conflict.

She said Oxfam was also concerned about the Governments reference to next
years aid program as a blank canvas, given the highly effective projects already
making a difference in the lives of poor people that must continue.

Getting the most impact out of our aid dollars is paramount at Oxfam, she said.
Oxfam has learned a great deal about what works in delivering aid, as an
organisation that has been working for more than 60 years with poor communities
around the world.

As a long-term partner, Oxfam is pleased to see the Governments commitment to
consult as it continues to build the aid program, and stands ready to work with the
Government in the coming weeks and months as it finalises next years aid budget.

Enquiries to Laurelle Keough on 0425 701 801