Archived Media Release
10 May 2006
Australian Aid Budget to Indonesia 2.3 Trillion Rupiah
The Australian Government will provide an estimated $344.3 million (Rp.2.3 trillion) in aid to Indonesia in 2006-07.
In terms of total foreign aid, Australia will provide an estimated $2.946 billion in Official Development Assistance (ODA) in 2006‑07, an increase of $455 million over the 2005–06 Budget figure ($2.491 billion).
Last night’s Commonwealth Budget announcement forms part of almost $2 billion in aid that Australia will provide to Indonesia to 2010.
“Australia is committed to a long-term development partnership with Indonesia. Our Aid program to Indonesia is now Australia’s largest,” said Bill Farmer, Australian Ambassador to Indonesia.
In 2006-07, AusAID, through the Australia Indonesia Partnership, will make major investments in education and roads infrastructure. It will commence programs to repair more than 2000 kilometres of national roads and 4,500 metres of steel truss bridges in Eastern Indonesia and construct or repair of around 2000 junior and secondary schools in poor and remote districts.
“In Aceh, we will help rebuild community infrastructure and re-establish health and education facilities,” said Farmer
In the lead up to the Budget, the Australian Government released its first White Paper on Australian aid. The paper, titled Australian Aid: Promoting Growth and Stability, sets the direction of Australian aid for the next decade and will see Australia’s global aid double to $4 billion annually by 2010.
A key component of the White Paper is the doubling of the number of scholarships available to the Asia-Pacific region through the Australian Scholarships program. More than 19,000 scholarships over five years will be offered. For the first time, a new type of scholarship - Australian Leadership Awards - will be offered to help future leaders of partner countries develop and maintain links with Australia.
“A significant number of Australian Leadership Awards will be available to Indonesians, and applications are currently open. In total, Australia will provide over 700 new scholarships to Indonesia in 2006-2007,” said Farmer.
For further information:
Allison Sudradjat (Head of AusAID Indonesia) – (021) 2550-5575