Penny Wong flags aid program under Labor would have greater focus on human rights

Penny Wong has flagged that Australia’s aid program would have a greater focus on human rights if Labor is elected.

Labor Senator Penny Wong speaks to the media during a press conference in Adelaide. Picture: AAP

Penny Wong has flagged that Australia’s aid program would have a greater focus on human rights, holding business to account abroad and assisting overseas trade unions if Labor is elected.

Senator Wong, who is the opposition’s spokeswoman on foreign affairs, also said on Tuesday night that Labor would commit $32m to a program preventing blindness in the Pacific and increase funds for non-for-profits providing aid abroad.

“I announce today that a Shorten Labor government will invest $32 million in a Pacific Avoidable Blindness and Vision Loss Fund,” she said during a speech at the University of Queensland.

“Labor will significantly increase the annual base grant for fully accredited NGOs in the Australian NGO Cooperation Program at a cost of $32 million over the forward estimates.”

Senator Wong said a Labor government would appoint a Global Human Rights Ambassador who would focus on issues about disabilities, LGBTIQ issue, ethnic and religious minority concerns and other human rights.

She said as well Labor would assist international trade unions and develop a plan to police abuse by Australian business operating overseas.

“We will also build the capacity of trade unions abroad to ensure people have access to fair and decent work and rights at work are better protected,” she said.

“Labor will develop a National Action Plan on Business and Human Rights and strengthen the National Contact Point — the body that works to address human rights abuses by Australian businesses — and examine ways to provide better guidance to Australian companies on managing their requirements and obligations.”

Liberal Senator Eric Abetz has campaigned against the Australian government providing funds to Union Aid Abroad-APHEDA, an arm of the Australian union movement, which had some programs assisting Palestinians.

Amid accusations of funds fueling terrorism, former Foreign Minister Julie Bishop suspended the funding of Union Aid Abroad-APHEDA’s food security program in the region.

“In late June 2018, we faced allegations...that an employee of a Palestinian partner organisation (not working on our project), had been a member of a proscribed organisation,” APHEDA said in its annual report.

“The project was suspended and an independent audit undertaken.”

The last Labor government made cuts to the aid program, but the current Labor opposition has been very critical of the government’s deep cuts to overseas development assistance.

“Currently, Overseas Development Assistance sits at 0.22 per cent of Gross National Income,” Senator Wong said.

“These cuts have not only had a very real impact on the people who benefit from investments in areas like health and education, it has damaged Australia’s reputation as a reliable partner in the region, and lessened Australia’s influence precisely at the same time our national interest compels us to engage more deeply.”

But Labor are yet to put a substantial dollar value on their plans to increase the aid budget if elected, and have instead committed to increasing Official Development Assistance as a percentage of Gross National Income on a yearly basis.

Senator Wong also alluded to ongoing issues in the aid program as a result of the integration of AusAID into the Department of Foreign Affairs, including a sharp increase in the use of large contractors.

About 20 per cent of Australia’s aid spending was now managed by 10 private sector companies, up from about 15 per cent eight years ago.

Former AusAID Deputy Director General Richard Moore has recently released a study of the merger, making a number of criticisms.

While Senator Wong suggested Labor would not attempt to reverse the merger, she said they would attempt to attract more development expertise back to the department.

“We want to rebuild and reward aid and development skills within the Department, encouraging and attracting people with development skills.”