The Australian government will provide $50 million in humanitarian support to the people of Afghanistan via the United Nations, while Aussies are faced with rising prices.
Foreign Minister Penny Wong announced the support package on Thursday, and said it brought the total amount of Australian taxpayer funds given to Afghans since the Taliban took power in 2021 to $310 million.
During the same period Australia has taken more than 21,000 Afghan refugees, with 26,500 humanitarian visas allocated through to this year, and last month Ms Wong confirmed the Afghan Embassy in exile in Canberra was set to close, a year after being cut off by the Taliban.
Ms Wong, who was born in Malaysia, and Egyptian-born Muslim MP Anne Aly said the $50 million would go towards supporting women and girls, food security, and health services, and be delivered by “established United Nations partners” to ensure it did not end up supporting the Taliban.
“The situation in Afghanistan is dire. The Australian Government remains firmly committed to supporting the people of Afghanistan, with a strong focus on women and girls,” Ms Wong said.
“Australia’s humanitarian support will help save lives, alleviate suffering, and meet the basic needs of communities affected by the ongoing Afghanistan crisis.”
Everyday Aussies responded to the support package by asking why the government wasn’t helping its own people in need instead.
“I’m so over working my ass off to see hard-earned tax dollars sent overseas,” wrote one man in a reply to Ms Wong.
“Your government’s multi-million/billion dollar handouts are why inflation is taking off, and why interest rates will increase tomorrow. Do you enjoy making Australians suffer?” asked another.
“No wonder inflation is the highest in the Western world. People here are starving in the street, we have our own crisis,” said a third.
The announcement came a day after the Australian Bureau of Statistics’ Consumer Price Index revealed inflation rose 3.8% in the year to December, up from 3.4% in the year to November, raising the chances of an interest rate hike next week.
The Liberal Party, which has been overtaken by One Nation according to the latest Newspoll, responded to the figures by blaming Labor’s immigration and housing policies for the cost of living crisis.
Leader Sussan Ley and deputy leader Ted O’Brien said that during Labor’s nearly four years in government insurance was up 39%, energy up 38%, rents up 22%, health up 18%, education up 17%, and food up 16%.
“Hardworking Australians expect their government to ease pressure, not add to it, but under Labor the cost of living crisis is deepening,” Ms Ley said on Wednesday.
Header image: Ms Wong at a photo exhibition about female education in Afghanistan in 2024 (X).
The post Labor gives $50m to Afghans amid cost-of-living crisis first appeared on The Noticer.
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