Budget Measures 2008-09 - Budget Paper No. 2 - Part 2: Expense Measures

Home > Budget Paper No. 2 > Part 2: Expense Measures > Foreign Affairs and Trade (continued)

Foreign Affairs and Trade (continued)

Overseas development assistance — access to clean water and effective sanitation

Expense ($m)
	2007‑08	2008‑09	2009‑10	2010‑11	2011‑12
AusAID	-	8.0	99.4	192.0	-
Related capital ($m)
AusAID	-	-	0.6	-	-

The Government will provide $300.0 million over three years (including $0.6 million in capital funding in 2009‑10) to improve access to clean water and effective sanitation in urban and rural areas of countries in Africa, Asia and the Pacific region. This measure will also aim to improve water security by protecting freshwater sources and will support partnerships with multilateral development banks and non‑government organisations to help improve water and sanitation infrastructure.

The program will help address the adverse impacts of inadequate water and sanitation on health, life expectancy and poverty.

This measure delivers on the Government's election commitment and is part of the Government's commitment to increase Australia's overseas development assistance over the long term.

Overseas development assistance — enhanced Australian Federal Police deployment to Afghanistan

Expense ($m)
	2007‑08	2008‑09	2009‑10	2010‑11	2011‑12
Australian Federal Police	-	14.4	23.6	-	-
Related revenue ($m)
Australian Taxation Office	-	-0.4	-0.4	-	-
Related capital ($m)
Australian Federal Police	-	9.0	-	-	-

The Government will provide $47.0 million over two years (including capital funding of $9.0 million) to the Australian Federal Police to deploy up to 12 officers to Afghanistan to assist the Afghan National Police with counter narcotics and police reform. This measure is expected to lead to a reduction in revenue of $0.8 million due to Australian Federal Police officers receiving concessional income tax treatment for their base pay and allowances while on deployment.

This measure delivers on the Government's election commitment and is part of the Government's commitment to increase Australia's overseas development assistance over the long term.

Overseas development assistance — fighting avoidable blindness

Expense ($m)
	2007‑08	2008‑09	2009‑10	2010‑11	2011‑12
AusAID	-	-	-	-	-

The Government will provide $45.0 million over two years from 2008‑09 to help eliminate avoidable blindness, with a particular focus on Pacific Island countries, Cambodia and Vietnam. This measure will support initiatives including conducting eye examinations, developing infrastructure, building the capacity of eye professionals and institutions in the region, and developing a disability strategy for the aid program.

The cost of this measure will be met from within the existing resourcing of AusAID.

This measure delivers on the Government's election commitment and is part of the Government's commitment to increase Australia's overseas development assistance over the long term.

Other measures

Overseas development assistance — assistance for displaced Iraqis in the Middle East

Expense ($m)
	2007‑08	2008‑09	2009‑10	2010‑11	2011‑12
Department of Immigration and Citizenship	-	10.0	-	-	-

The Government will provide an additional $10.0 million in 2008‑09 to the Displaced Persons and Refugee Fund to assist displaced Iraqis in the Middle East. The funding will support delivery of basic humanitarian needs such as shelter, sanitation, water, food and health care. The funding will be administered through the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and Care Australia.

This measure is part of the Government's commitment to increase Australia's overseas development assistance over the long term.

See also the related expense measures titled Humanitarian migration program — additional 500 places for Iraqis in 2008‑09, Visa places for Iraqi locally engaged employees, and Department of Immigration and Citizenship — enhancements to liaison and operational capability in the Middle East in the Immigration and Citizenship portfolio.

Overseas development assistance — assistance to Iraqi Police Service

Expense ($m)
	2007‑08	2008‑09	2009‑10	2010‑11	2011‑12
Australian Federal Police	-	5.8	4.0	4.0	-

The Government will provide $13.7 million over three years to the Australian Federal Police to support international efforts to develop a more effective Iraqi Police Service through the funding of leadership training and forensic science training. Approximately 240 Iraqi Police Service personnel will receive police‑related training in Australia over the next three years under this program.

Funding for Australian Federal Police salaries, training and other general expenses will be met from the increased funding for the International Deployment Group.

This measure is part of the Government's commitment to increase Australia's overseas development assistance over the long term.

Overseas development assistance — Australian Federal Police contribution to Afghanistan

Expense ($m)
	2007‑08	2008‑09	2009‑10	2010‑11	2011‑12
Australian Federal Police	-	-	-	-	-
Related capital ($m)
Australian Federal Police	-	-	-	-	-

The Government will provide $6.3 million over three years from 2007‑08 for the deployment of four Australian Federal Police (AFP) officers to Afghanistan to provide counter‑narcotics training and advice to the Counter Narcotics Police of Afghanistan and the Afghan National Police.

The cost of this measure will be met from within the existing resources of the AFP.

This measure includes $0.8 million in capital funding in 2007‑08 for electronic counter‑measures to protect the AFP officers.

This funding relates to mission‑based expenses only. Provision for salaries, training and other general expenses has already been included in the forward estimates.

This measure is part of the Government's commitment to increase Australia's overseas development assistance over the long term.

Overseas development assistance — Australia's contribution to international debt relief

Expense ($m)
	2007‑08	2008‑09	2009‑10	2010‑11	2011‑12
AusAID	-	69.3	-	-	-

The Government will provide an additional $73.1 million in 2008‑09 to fund Australia's share of contributions to international debt relief, arising from the forgiveness of debts owed by developing countries to multilateral institutions, including through the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries Initiative, the Multilateral Debt Relief Initiative and arrears clearance provided by the World Bank.

The contribution is expected to include both loans and grants components. The estimated effected on the fiscal balance reflects an assumption about the relative proportion of the grant component of the additional funding. The balance, reflecting the loan component, does not impact on the fiscal balance as the provision of a loan only affects the composition of the Australian Government's investment in financial assets.

This measure is part of the Government's commitment to increase Australia's overseas development assistance over the long term.

Overseas development assistance — Asian Development Fund replenishment

Expense ($m)
	2007‑08	2008‑09	2009‑10	2010‑11	2011‑12
AusAID	-	9.6	-	-	-

The Government will provide a contribution of $333.8 million to the current replenishment of the Asian Development Fund — the concessional lending arm of the Asian Development Bank. The Asian Development Fund provides funding and advice, through grants and loans, for the poorest countries in Asia in areas such as basic infrastructure, education, environment and regional cooperation. This measure includes $38.3 million in additional funding, with the remaining contribution to be met from within the existing resourcing of AusAID.

The contribution is expected to include both loans and grants components. The estimated effect on the fiscal balance reflects an assumption about the relative proportion of the grant component of the additional funding. The balance, reflecting the loan component, does not impact on fiscal balance as the provision of a loan only affects the composition of the Australian Government's investment in financial assets.

This measure is part of the Government's commitment to increase Australia's overseas development assistance over the long term.

Overseas development assistance — emergency and humanitarian relief

Expense ($m)
	2007‑08	2008‑09	2009‑10	2010‑11	2011‑12
AusAID	-	-	-	-	-

The Government has provided $76.1 million in 2007‑08 for emergency and humanitarian relief efforts. The funding has been provided through various international agencies, such as the World Food Programme, the International Federation of the Red Cross, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, the United Nations Children's Fund, the United Nations Development Programme and the International Organisation for Migration, and a number of non‑government organisations.

Examples of contributions include: assistance to victims of Cyclone Sidr in Bangladesh and Cyclone Guba in Papua New Guinea; providing for the immediate needs of people affected by post‑election violence in Kenya; helping survivors of flooding and landslides in Central and East Java; funding the provision of food aid to the people of Afghanistan, Timor‑Leste and Zimbabwe; providing humanitarian assistance to flood victims in southern Africa; and support for peace‑building efforts and to improve long‑term disaster management capacities in Timor‑Leste.

The cost of these measures was met from within the existing resourcing of AusAID.

Overseas development assistance — investing in Pacific public sector capacity

Expense ($m)
	2007‑08	2008‑09	2009‑10	2010‑11	2011‑12
AusAID	-	4.1	27.7	34.1	38.6
Related capital ($m)
AusAID	-	-	0.4	-	-

The Government will provide $106.9 million over four years (including $0.4 million in capital funding in 2009‑10) to improve public and tertiary education sector capacity in the Pacific region. This funding will support workforce development programs, locally‑led public sector reforms and establish linkages between Australian and Pacific institutions. The workforce development component will help address priority needs of partner governments in terms of leadership, administrative skills, planning, budgeting and financial management. This measure will provide for analytical work on constraints to development to help identify opportunities for Australia to support locally‑led public sector reform. It will also help build and maintain long‑term partnerships between Australian and partner governments and tertiary education institutions.

Funding of $2.0 million in 2008‑09 will be met from within the existing resourcing of AusAID.

This measure is part of the Government's commitment to increase Australia's overseas development assistance contribution over the long term.

Overseas development assistance — Iraq humanitarian and reconstruction assistance

Expense ($m)
	2007‑08	2008‑09	2009‑10	2010‑11	2011‑12
AusAID	-	60.0	40.0	40.0	-

The Government will provide $140.0 million over three years for a targeted basic humanitarian support package, support reconstruction efforts and strengthen government capacity in Iraq. This measure will be delivered in partnership with international agencies.

The humanitarian support package ($20.0 million in 2008‑09) will target the needs of Iraqi civilian populations, including internally displaced persons, by providing access to essential food items, emergency shelter, clean water and adequate sanitation and basic health services. It will also help address protection needs, restoring family links and supporting education programs for vulnerable children. The reconstruction efforts will help improve the quality of, and access to, essential services as well as supporting de‑mining efforts. This measure will also contribute towards strengthening the Iraqi Government by capacity building in the agriculture sector and training in financial management and human rights.

This measure is part of the Government's commitment to increase Australia's overseas development assistance over the long term.

Further information can be found in the Prime Minister's Joint Press Conference with the President of the United States on 29 March 2008.

Overseas development assistance — Pacific land program

Expense ($m)
	2007‑08	2008‑09	2009‑10	2010‑11	2011‑12
AusAID	-	4.3	8.8	16.8	21.8
Related capital ($m)
AusAID	-	0.2	-	-	-

The Government will provide $53.9 million over four years (including $0.2 million in capital funding in 2008‑09) to help support partner‑government‑led reforms to strengthen customary land rights, improve the productivity of land in rural and urban areas, and reduce the potential for instability from land‑related conflict in Timor‑Leste, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu. The measure, through its regional component, will help address problems associated with urbanisation such as squatter settlements, poverty, youth unemployment, rising crime and civil instability. Through its bilateral elements, this measure will help partner governments improve administrative systems, legal frameworks, land surveying and registration.

Funding of $2.0 million in 2008‑09 will be met from within the existing resourcing of AusAID.

This measure is part of the Government's commitment to increase Australia's overseas development assistance over the long term.

Overseas development assistance — Pacific region infrastructure facility

Expense ($m)
	2007‑08	2008‑09	2009‑10	2010‑11	2011‑12
AusAID	-	5.5	30.5	40.5	50.5

The Government will provide $126.8 million over four years to establish a Pacific Region Infrastructure Facility with the Asian Development Bank and the World Bank to improve basic infrastructure provision in the Pacific, including in the roads, maritime, aviation and energy sectors. The Facility is aimed at strengthening partner governments' use of their own resources for infrastructure maintenance and development and helping enhance infrastructure assistance from the Asian Development Bank and the World Bank. The Facility will provide long‑term support for the development and operation of the broad based infrastructure required to help the social and economic development of Pacific Island countries.

This measure is part of the Government's commitment to increase Australia's overseas development assistance over the long term.

Overseas development assistance — Pacific Police Development Program

Expense ($m)
	2007‑08	2008‑09	2009‑10	2010‑11	2011‑12
Australian Federal Police	-	13.3	19.0	21.1	21.5
Attorney-General's Department	-	1.0	1.3	1.4	1.4
Total	-	14.3	20.3	22.5	23.0
Related revenue ($m)
Australian Taxation Office	-	-0.7	-0.9	-0.9	-0.9

The Government will provide $80.1 million over four years to provide assistance in relation to the review and reform of criminal justice legislation, to provide capacity‑building assistance to the police forces of Samoa, Nauru and Papua New Guinea and to continue the Pacific Regional Policing Initiative. This measure is expected to lead to a reduction in revenue of $3.4 million due to Australian Federal Police officers receiving concessional income tax treatment for their base pay and allowances while on deployment.

Funding for the Australian Federal Police is provided for mission‑based costs only. Base salary, training and other general expenses for this deployment are included in the base funding for the Australian Federal Police International Deployment Group.

This measure is part of the Government's commitment to increase Australia's overseas development assistance over the long term.

Overseas development assistance — strengthening regional financial intelligence units

Expense ($m)
	2007‑08	2008‑09	2009‑10	2010‑11	2011‑12
Australian Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre	-	-	-	-2.7	-2.7

The Government will provide $5.5 million over two years to the Australian Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre (AUSTRAC) to provide capacity building assistance to their South East Asian Financial Intelligence Unit counterparts for the detection and deterrence of money laundering and terrorism financing. This measure will also assist the development and implementation of IT solutions aimed at identifying terrorism financing activities. The cost of this measure will be met from within the existing resourcing of AUSTRAC. The measure will cease on 30 June 2010, returning savings of $2.7 million in each of 2010‑11 and 2011‑12.

This measure is part of the Government's commitment to increase Australia's overseas development assistance over the long term.

Overseas development assistance — Timor‑Leste Police Development Program

Expense ($m)
	2007‑08	2008‑09	2009‑10	2010‑11	2011‑12
Australian Federal Police	-	16.5	34.6	-	-
Related revenue ($m)
Australian Taxation Office	-	-1.4	-3.4	-	-
Related capital ($m)
Australian Federal Police	-	1.5	1.0	-	-

The Government will provide $53.7 million over two years to the Australian Federal Police to deploy personnel to Timor‑Leste to build capacity within the Policia Nacional de Timor‑Leste. This measure is expected to lead to a reduction in revenue of $4.8 million due to Australian Federal Police officers receiving concessional income tax treatment for their base pay and allowances while on deployment. This measure includes capital funding of $2.5 million over two years to purchase specialist equipment for the Policia Nacional de Timor‑Leste.

Funding is provided for mission‑based costs only. Base salary, training and other general expenses for this deployment are included in the base funding for the Australian Federal Police International Deployment Group

This measure is part of the Government's commitment to increase Australia's overseas development assistance over the long term.

Overseas development assistance — United Nations Partnership for the Millennium Development Goals

Expense ($m)
	2007‑08	2008‑09	2009‑10	2010‑11	2011‑12
AusAID	-	6.0	40.0	60.0	90.0

The Government will provide an additional $200.0 million over four years to increase Australia's multi‑year core funding to selected United Nations agencies, including the United Nations Children's Fund, the United Nations Development Programme, the World Health Organization, the United Nations Population Fund, the United Nations Development Fund for Women, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, and the joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS. This funding will assist global efforts to reach the Millennium Development Goals and will further demonstrate Australia's role as a responsible international citizen.

Funding of $4.0 million in 2008‑09 will be met from within the existing resourcing of AusAID.

This measure is part of the Government's commitment to increase Australia's overseas development assistance over the long term.

Overseas development assistance — World Food Program Emergency Appeal — contribution

Expense ($m)
	2007‑08	2008‑09	2009‑10	2010‑11	2011‑12
AusAID	-	22.5	-	-	-

The Government will provide $30.0 million over two years from 2007‑08 as an immediate contribution to the World Food Programme Emergency Appeal to support the operations in poor countries affected by steep rises in the prices of essential food supplies.

Funding of $7.5 million in 2007‑08 will be met from within the existing resourcing of AusAID.

This measure is part of the Government's commitment to increase Australia's overseas development assistance over the long term.

Other measures in the Foreign Affairs and Trade portfolio

Election Commitments

Export Market Development Grants Scheme — additional funding

Expense ($m)
	2007‑08	2008‑09	2009‑10	2010‑11	2011‑12
Australian Trade Commission	-	-	50.0	-	-

The Government will provide an additional $50.0 million in 2009‑10 for the Export Market Development Grants Scheme. The Scheme provides small and medium sized Australian businesses with taxable grants to reimburse a proportion of eligible export promotion costs.

This measure delivers on the Government's election commitment.

Other measures

Afghanistan — Australian diplomatic presence — continuation and expansion

Expense ($m)
	2007‑08	2008‑09	2009‑10	2010‑11	2011‑12
Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade	-	8.8	9.8	-	-
Related capital ($m)
Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade	-	6.9	..	-	-

The Government will provide additional funding of $25.6 million over two years for the continuation and expansion of the Australian diplomatic presence in Kabul in order to deliver on its commitment of continued support for the international effort in Afghanistan. This additional funding will increase the total contribution to $39.3 million.

This measure includes $6.9 million in capital funding in 2008‑09 which will provide for the purchase of security and communications equipment and office fit‑out.

National Security — enhanced intelligence capability

Expense ($m)
	2007‑08	2008‑09	2009‑10	2010‑11	2011‑12
Australian Secret Intelligence Service	-	3.5	3.3	-	-
Related capital ($m)
Australian Secret Intelligence Service	-	1.9	-	-	-

The Government will provide $8.7 million over two years from 2008‑09 to enhance the Australian Secret Intelligence Service's intelligence gathering capability in support of broader strategic activities.

The measure includes capital funding of $1.9 million in 2008‑09 for fit‑out and equipment.

Orangutan conservation in Indonesia — contribution

Expense ($m)
	2007‑08	2008‑09	2009‑10	2010‑11	2011‑12
AusAID	-	-	-	-	-

The Government will provide $0.5 million over four years from 2007‑08 toward orangutan conservation in Indonesia. This measure will assess the orangutan habitat conservation benefit of activities under the Global Initiative on Forest and Climate.

The cost of this measure will be met from within the existing resourcing of AusAID.

Shanghai World Expo 2010 — Australian participation

Expense ($m)
	2007‑08	2008‑09	2009‑10	2010‑11	2011‑12
Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade	-	10.0	31.0	20.0	-

The Government will provide $61.0 million over three years as a contribution towards Australia's participation in the Shanghai World Expo in 2010. The funding will contribute to the construction and operation of the Australian pavilion and the management of associated programs.

The Government will seek additional contributions of at least $22.0 million in 2008‑09 from State Governments and private sector entities who will benefit from Australia's presence at the Expo.

If www.budget.gov.au responds slowly or you are having trouble downloading a document, try one of the Budget Website Mirrors

Note: Where possible, Budget documents are available in HTML and for downloading in Portable Document Format(PDF). If you require further information on any of the tables or charts on this website, please contact Treasury.