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Tell our leaders: Australian Christians Support Australian Aid

The Heads of Australia’s Christian denominations have written to our political leaders, urging them to restore and protect Australian Aid in this new parliamentary term.

Add your name to show that Christians across the country stand for compassion, justice, and a safer world for all.

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WHY THIS MATTERS

Loving our neighbour isn’t just the right thing to do—it’s also good foreign policy.

Australia’s security and prosperity are deeply tied to the peace and stability of our region.

Australian aid is:

A smart investment that prevents crises before they escalate.
A stabilising force that builds strong, resilient neighbours.
A life-saving commitment that reflects the best of who we are.

Far from being charity, a generous and effective Australian aid program makes our world safer, strengthens our partnerships, and serves Australia’s long-term interests.

WHY NOW

A World Turning Inwards

Right now, we are living through dangerous times: conflicts are escalating from Ukraine to Gaza to Sudan and Myanmar, and global humanitarian needs have doubled since COVID-19.

Yet instead of stepping up, many nations are retreating.

In the U.S., President Trump’s aid freeze has dismantled more than 80% of USAID programs, leaving millions without food, health, and education support.

In the UK, aid has been slashed to fund higher defence spending—even as famine and displacement rise.

When major donors withdraw, the consequences are immediate: services collapse, instability grows, and those already most vulnerable suffer first.

This is why Australian leadership matters now more than ever.

What Australian Aid Achieves

Against this backdrop, it’s crucial to remind ourselves—and others—what aid truly is, what it achieves, and how little of our budget it actually represents.

Australian Aid is:

✅ Medical teams rapidly deployed to Vanuatu after their recent earthquake.

✅ The Papua New Guinea Education Program, which in just five years trained over 6,400 teachers and improved education for 360,000 children.

✅ Support for mothers and children fleeing conflicts in Ukraine, Sudan, and Gaza.

✅ Combating global pandemics like Ebola, Mpox, and whatever comes next after COVID-19.

✅ Helping former aid recipients become strong trade partners, as seen in Vietnam and South Korea.

✅ Driving a 41% reduction in malaria cases globally between 2000 and 2015.

✅ Reducing child mortality under five by 60% between 1990 and 2020.

How much do we
really spend on Aid?

Many Australians are surprised to learn that Australian Aid is at a historic low.

JUST 0.65% OF OUR BUDGET

That’s less than $1 in every $100—almost half the level under Howard, Rudd, and Gillard, when it exceeded 1.12%.

JUST 0.18% OF OUR GNI

Australia now ranks 28th out of 32 OECD nations for aid generosity.

WHY SO LOW?

In 2013, AusAID was folded into DFAT and the program significantly reduced. What remains is a lean, highly focused aid program, centred on our Indo-Pacific region.

The Bottom Line

Australian Aid is already lean, transparent, and tightly focused on our region. There is nothing left to cut—and this is not the moment for retreat.

Restoring aid to 1% of the Federal Budget is a modest, bipartisan, and achievable step. It keeps 99% of the budget at home, while ensuring Australia plays its part in a safer, more stable world.