ÿþ<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/html401/loose.dtd"> <html> <head> <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1"> <title>2008&#8211;09 Commonwealth Budget - Overview</title> <link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" media="all" href="../../../_stylesheet/content.css"> <link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" media="all" href="../../../_stylesheet/layout.css"> <link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" media="all" href="../../../_stylesheet/overview.css"> </head> <body> <div id="body_container"> <div id="overview_inner"> <div id="overview_masthead"> <h1>Enhancing security and<br />development</h1> <p class="description"> The Government will meet Australia's international responsibilities by making significant contributions to international security in Afghanistan, Iraq and Timor&#8209;Leste, and through the Regional Assistance Mission to the Solomon Islands (RAMSI). The 2008&#8209;09 Budget is the first step in the Government's long&#8209;term commitment to expand Australia's Official Development Assistance (ODA) program. </p> </div> <div id="overview_body_inner"> <div id="overview_content"> <p class="page-nav"> <a href="overview_32.htm"><img src="../../../_image/page_previous.gif" alt="&lt; previous page" /></a> <a href="index.htm"><img src="../../../_image/page_toc.gif" alt="contents and downloads" /></a> <a href="overview_34.htm"><img src="../../../_image/page_next.gif" alt="next page &gt;" /></a> </p> <div id="content_columns"> <div class="overview_col"> <p class="subheading">Strengthening security</p> <p>This Budget contains funding to boost international security efforts. Defence funding includes:</p> <ul> <li>$429 million to extend Australia's military involvement in Afghanistan</li> <li>$166 million to extend our military presence in Timor&#8209;Leste</li> <li>$14 million for support to RAMSI.</li> </ul> <p>The Government will meet its commitment to withdraw the main land combat force from Iraq, beginning mid&#8209;year, with other contingents to remain, at a total cost of $155 million</p> <p>Federal Police funding includes:</p> <ul> <li>$53 million to strengthen</li> </ul> </div> <div class="overview_col"> <ul> <li class="noBullet">Afghanistan police counter&#8209;narcotics measures</li> <li>$54 million to provide capacity building assistance to the Timor&#8209;Leste police</li> <li>$75 million to assist Pacific policing, including in Samoa, Nauru and Papua New Guinea.</li> </ul> <p class="subheading">Expanding overseas development assistance</p> <p>To reduce poverty and enhance stability in our region, Australia's ODA will increase to around $3.7 billion in 2008&#8209;09. The Government is taking a step toward achieving its long&#8209;term commitment to a ratio of ODA to Gross National Income of 0.5 per cent by</p> </div> <div class="overview_col"> <p>2015 by meeting its interim target of 0.35 per cent a year early in 2009&#8209;10, and continuing to increase to 0.38 per cent in 2011&#8209;12.</p> <p>As a means of achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), the Government will support economic growth in developing countries. Initiatives include:</p> <ul> <li>$300 million for clean water and sanitation in the Asia Pacific</li> <li>$200 million to support UN agency leadership on global efforts to reach the MDGs</li> <li>$127 million to establish a Pacific Region Infrastructure Fund to improve basic infrastructure.</li> </ul> </div> </div> <div class="graph_image_top"> <div> <div class="graph_img"> <img src="../image/BO33_01.gif" alt="Chart: Australia's expanding Official Development Assistance to Gross National Income ratio" /> </div> <div class="graph_text"> <p>Australia's expanding Official Development Assistance to Gross National Income ratio</p> </div> </div> </div> <p class="page-nav bottom_page"> <a href="overview_32.htm"><img src="../../../_image/page_previous.gif" alt="&lt; previous page" /></a> <a href="index.htm"><img src="../../../_image/page_toc.gif" alt="contents and downloads" /></a> <a href="overview_34.htm"><img src="../../../_image/page_next.gif" alt="next page &gt;" /></a> </p> </div> <div id="overview_footer"> <p id="footer_text"> <span id="footer_pageNum">33</span> <span id="footer_docTitle">2008-09 Budget <span class="orangeText">Overview</span></span> </p> </div> </div> </div> </div> </body> </html>