Can our Budget create a Safer World?

Last Tuesday night, my eyes were on the Australian Federal Budget. With a Federal Election looming, and the financial stress felt by a growing number of Australians, this budget is one of particular importance and significance.

One of the important issues at the top of my mind is one that doesn’t rate much of a mention in most discussions – Australia’s foreign aid.

In a single year, Australian Aid reaches millions, including 2.38 million receiving direct assistance, 248,000 able to attend school, 10 million immunised and 240,000 women and girls supported after violence. The work done by Australian Aid saves lives, and honours the Godly principles of neighbourly love and justice.

But foreign aid is under attack. Since my previous update on this topic in September, the US government has reduced their foreign aid by a catastrophic 83%, and the UK is set to divert money away from humanitarian aid to military spending.

But where others step away, we can step up – as individuals, as a nation, and as God’s church – that is where the Safer World for All campaign comes in.

Safer World for All

Organised by Micah Australia, the Safer World for All campaign is a platform designed to help Australians collectively raise their voice to inspire our leaders to act boldly and mercifully; to see foreign aid stabilised and supported, and for a pathway to be made to increase humanitarian assistance from 0.68% to 1% of the Federal Budget.

As Baptist World Aid is an official partner of the movement, our team has had many opportunities to partner with Micah on this initiative:

• The SFWA campaign has conducted 55 meetings with our federal elected representatives over the last 6 months – I was glad to be a part of a thoughtful and comprehensive meeting with the Hon. Josh Wilson MP, Assistant Minister for Climate Change and Energy and Member for Fremantle.
• Others in the team have been conducting workshops at schools across the nation; our Church Relationship Manager in WA, Ed Devine has been visiting schools across the State, gathering signatures to send and present to MPs across the country.
• Finally, Micah Australia have organised Electorate Forums in critical seats to engage the candidates in the upcoming Federal Election, including in the seat of Deakin where our Advocacy Policy Manager Mike Bartlett recently had the privilege of boldly advocating for the life-saving work of Australian Aid.

So, how did last week’s budget stack up?

The good news is foreign aid remains stable. With a $135m increase, Australia’s budget for foreign aid now sits at $5.1 billion, and is directing much of its spending projects in the Asia-Pacific region that have been most affected by the cuts to USAID. As Micah’s Executive Director Tim Costello reflected, “In a world where the US and UK are retreating, Australia’s decision to hold the line and lift aid funding is a principled and strategic move”. The message of Safer World for All is cutting through to both those in power and with key figures in the Opposition and crossbench.

However more can be done: using the measure of Gross National Income, we have slipped from 0.19% to 0.18%, and as a measure of the budget, we have gone from 0.68% to 0.65% – just one tenth of our Defence spend.

The opportunity for Australia to provide security, safety, stability and compassion in our world is immense. Where others step away, we can step up, and in the Treasurer’s own words – “we’ve come a long way but there’s more work to do”

I couldn’t agree more.

Getting involved

If these issues press your heart, I would encourage you to add your name to the growing number of Australians in the campaign. The heads of Australia’s Christian denominations have written to the leaders of the major parties, but we all have a part to play.

Follow the link here to join the church petition as an individual, as a whole church, or as a Christian workplace or organisation. You’ll find summaries and up to date information and videos that can be easily shared with your church and community. More resources can be found here, including the Church engagement toolkit.

As always you are welcome and encouraged to lend your financial support to the life-saving Gospel work of Baptist World Aid Australia where it’s needed most.

And finally, as you consider your vote and voice in the upcoming Election, please pray. Pray for our local leaders and politicians, that those with conviction have sway with their party rooms and party leadership, and that this coming election not be marked by division, but instead marked by bold, life-saving love.