Lee Rhiannon (NSW, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source

My question is to the minister representing the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Senator Brandis. Senator, is the government now treating the overseas aid budget as an ATM to dip into to fund its war in Iraq, at a time when overseas aid assistance is urgently needed in Iraq to help reduce poverty and to assist with essential services, to rebuild damaged infrastructure and to kick-start a stalled economy caused by past wars and conflicts? And doesn't this proposal to slash aid funding in order to fund a war demonstrate that Minister for Foreign Affairs Julie Bishop is a poor advocate for the overseas aid component of her portfolio?