I see the Greens are preparing a fresh bid to lock Australia into doubling its foreign aid budget to the tune of an extra $5.2 billion.
The term foreign aid has been defined as “poor people in rich countries giving money to rich people in poor countries." That’s only part of the story. The rest of the story is that foreign aid, by and large, is a ‘legal’ money laundering scam. If the money were taken directly from the taxpayers and handed to the bankers and corporations, there would be massive protests around the country.
For example,
A small clutch of private sector firms are cashing in on the foreign aid spending boom - with just three corporations securing a colossal $4.12 billion in contracts since Labor came to office.
Incidentally, AusAID as of the end of June 2012 employs 2,124 bureaucrats to write cheques to private sector firms (NGO’s aka Rent Seekers). AusAID’s estimated budget (don’t they know?) was $4.864 billion.
Source: AusAid Annual report 2011-2012
So here’s what Julia Gillard and Bob Carr have given away, of your money, in the Month of April 2013 (note the numerous rent seeking bodies and internal AusAID departments that “help” spend the money.)
03 April, 2013: As part of the $35m Pacific Sports Partnerships program, Cricket Australia and the International Cricket Council are running a four-year, $1.6 million project to hold cricket clinics in Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu.
04 April, 2013: Under the Mine Action Strategy for the Australian Aid Program 2010-2014, Australia has met its $100 million commitment to mine action two years ahead of schedule.
Australia has committed $1.4 million from 2011-13 to support the clearance of unexploded ordnance in Palau.
… Since 1997, Australia has provided more than $275 million, making us one of the leading contributors to mine clearance efforts in the world.
05 April, 2013: In 2012, the Australia Pacific Technical College (APTC) opened its School of Health and Community Services Training Centre in Suva, Fiji. The APTC is a $152 million 2011 – 2015 funded program.
Ensuring students access quality education in Fiji via the $30 million Access to Quality Education Program (AQEP).
Market Development Facility (MDP) - Stimulating pro-poor economic growth in Fiji via a $3 million program.
The Pacific Horticulture and Agricultural Market Access Program (PHAMA) - Helping improve Fiji’s export markets via a $16.4 million program.
Energy Summit promotes renewable energy in the Pacific. During the summit, Australia announced $3.2 million, through the World Bank, to fund the installation of solar panels in Kiribati.
08 April, 2013: Foreign Minister Senator Bob Carr has visited an Islamic (Madrasah) Indonesian school where the Australian Government has helped to improve the buildings and train officials. Senator Carr also reaffirmed Australia’s support for the National Program for Community Empowerment (PNPM), Indonesia’s flagship poverty reduction program, with an additional $99 million in funding.
Australia responds to a Solomon Islands dengue fever crisis – total aid for Solomon Islands $222.7 million.
11 April, 2013: Cook Islands gender equality plan launched - At the launch of the plan at Te Atukura grounds in Rarotonga, it was announced that AusAID will provide $3.9 million over 10 years to support activities to improve the lives of women in Cook Islands. It’s part of a wider Pacific Women Shaping Pacific Development – a $320 million initiative to make a practical difference in the lives of Pacific women, their families and their communities.
12 April, 2013: Australia’s aid program to Bangladesh has grown significantly in recent years, increasing from $33 million in 2006 to more than $93 million in 2012–13. Bangladesh is now the eighth-largest bilateral recipient of Australian aid.
16 April, 2013: AusAID committed to an ongoing structured engagement with the business community in PNG. AusAID will establish a working group with business to determine the best way to engage in the future, particularly in the areas of education, transport, ICT, and women’s empowerment. AusAID 2012/13 budget $493.2 million. Australia has invested $1,372 million in PNG’s development over the previous three years.
17 April, 2013: AusAID is contributing US$14 million to the National Water Development Program (NWDP) in Malawi.
The Advisory Board for AusAID’s Pacific Women Shaping Pacific Development initiative met for the first time in Canberra on 10 April 2013. The 10 year “program” has a $320 million budget.
18 April, 2013: The AusAID – World Vision Bulawayo Water and Sanitation Response Program (BOWSER). The $10.1 million program (AusAID contributed $9.1 million and World Vision contributed $1 million) was AusAID Zimbabwe’s largest NGO-delivered water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) program.
22 April, 2013: Australia is providing a further $24 million in humanitarian assistance for people affected by the deteriorating situation in Syria—bringing our total contribution to $66.5 million.
24 April, 2013: Australia’s ongoing investment in malaria control and elimination in the region is delivering results. In Myanmar, our contribution of $18.5 million to the Three Disease Fund has enabled treatment for 1.9 million cases of malaria, distribution of 700,000 long lasting insecticide treated bed nets, re-treated 1.5 million insecticide treated nets and the distribution of 2.2 million rapid diagnostic tests.
Australia strengthens leadership role in global HIV/AIDS fight - Australia is providing $25.5 million to this initiative over three years.
Australia reaffirms support for polio eradication at Global Vaccine Summit - $50 million commitment extends to 2015 and is supporting the final push to eradicate polio.
26 April, 2013: Australia and India partner to manage water for scarcity – part of the $19.2 million South and West Asia regional program.
Support for Pakistan elections - Australia’s total contribution to the Election Commission of Pakistan since 2011–12 to $7 million. Other donors to this project include the European Union, Norway, Japan, the United States and the UNDP.
Australia’s expects to provide $87.9 million in development assistance to Pakistan in 2012–13, with a focus on health, education, and agriculture and rural development.
Prime Minister Julia Gillard to co-chair the Asia Pacific Leaders Malaria Alliance (APLMA.) Australia will spend a further $100 million over the next four years to help reduce deaths and illness from malaria in the region.
29 April, 2013: Palau and AusAID announce new funding for removal of unexploded remnants of war - Australia’s three-year, $3 million commitment to reduce the threat of unexploded ordnance in Palau.
Australian Government launches Australia Awards African Alumni Ambassadors initiative (AAAAI) – part of the $331 million Australia Awards program.
Don't think for one second the Liberal's will make any cuts to AusAID. Julie Bishop want's to keep handing out our dough when she becomes Foreign Affairs Minister.