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Death by aid cuts: Australia's aid generosity flatlines in OECD global rankings

Oxfam Australia

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Australia’s aid budget remains among the lowest in the world according to the latest Official Development Assistance (ODA) data published today by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). 

Although Australia’s aid contributions stabilised in the financial year 2025/6 from its previous year-on-year decline, it continues to rank at a real-terms historic low in line with inflation and compared to other donor nations.  

In 2025/6 Australia gave just 0.18% of its GNI Gross National Income (GNI) in ODA, far less than the UN target of 0.7% GNI. It ranked 25th out of 32 DAC nations, lagging behind countries like Norway, the United Kingdom and New Zealand, which give more as a proportion of their economies.  

Oxfam Australia is calling on the Australian Government to lift its investment in aid from 0.65% to 1 % of the Federal Budget or approximately 0.28–0.30% of GNI as a first step towards the UN target.   

At a time when aid cuts from wealthy governments around the world are already driving instability and fostering greater inequality, the Australian Government is alarmingly slow to restore the aid budget, while dramatically increasing military spending. 

Oxfam Australia’s Head of Humanitarian, Lucia Goldsmith said: “DFAT must restore its aid budget and shore up the global humanitarian system that faces its most serious crisis in decades. Australia is contributing to a global downturn in aid spending, and there are ways to find revenue for an increased aid budget, such as taxing the wealth of the super-rich and fossil fuel corporations.” 

“The governments of wealthy nations are turning their backs on the lives of millions of women, men and children in the Global South through severe aid cuts. They collectively slashed aid by 23% in 2025.  

“Aid plays a crucial role in combating diseases like HIV-AIDS and malaria. Earlier this year, Oxfam analysis found that global aid cuts mean a child under 5 could die every 40 seconds by 2030. If this trend continues, aid cuts could kill over 9 million people by 2030.” 

Oxfam Australia’s Chief Executive Jennifer Tierney said: “We’re living through multiple chronic global crises, from climate change accelerated flooding and cyclones to gas price inflation due to war in the Middle East. Considering this context, Australia’s aid contributions have never been more important to a stable world.  

“The slight increase in the dollar value of aid from last year is nominal when compared with real terms inflation and should not fool anyone. Oxfam Australia is calling for the Australian Government to lift its aid contribution from 0.65% to 1% of overall spending in next month’s federal budget. In working towards the UN target for aid, Australia can take its place as the generous nation its people believe it is.” 

/ENDS 

Notes to editors  

  • The OECD preliminary data shows the DAC countries’ aid spending for 2025 was $174.3 billion, a cut of 23% from 2024. 

  • The Institute of Global Health in Barcelona released a study in Lancet Journal (February 2026) that evaluated the impact of ODA on mortality rates around the world. It estimates that aid cuts in 2025 alone, assuming a 21% aid cut, would be responsible for 695,238 excess deaths, and that, if the aid cut trend continued, it could kill 9,416,417 by 2030. 

  • Oxfam estimates that the top 0.1% richest people worldwide hide $2.84 trillion in tax havens. Even a small tax on that wealth would yield much more than the amount of aid cuts. 


Contact details:

For interviews or more information, contact Amber Ahmad on 0468802634 / [email protected] 

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