10th Jun 2020, 1:07 PM – Senate Official Development Assistance Multilateral Replenishment Obligations (Special Appropriation) Bill 2019 - Second Reading - Multilateral institutions

The majority voted against a motion introduced by South Australian Senator Penny Wong (Labor), which means it failed. This motion would have amended the usual second reading motion: that the bill be read for a second time. Reading something for a second time is the same as agreeing with the main idea of the bill.

Motion text

At the end of the motion, add:

", but the Senate:

(a) notes that Australia's Official Development Assistance (ODA) investments are an important way of advancing Australia’s interests, projecting our values and tackling global poverty;

(b) expresses its concern that:

(i) since 2014, Coalition governments have cut $11.8 billion from the foreign aid budget, with the result that Australia's ODA investments are now at a record low as a share of Gross National Income, and

(ii) the Prime Minister's promotion of negative globalism is contrary to Australia's interests in an international rules-based order supported by multilateral institutions, which promote economic growth, global security and human development; and

(c) agrees that active and engaged participation in multilateral institutions, including multilateral development institutions, is essential for advancing Australia’s interests in a stable, secure and prosperous international environment".