Australia urged to renew aid focus in new foreign policy

World Vision is calling on the Australian government to re-assert the role of aid in its upcoming 10 year foreign policy strategy.

The call comes after new aid data released by the OECD this week showed Australia slipping from 16th to 17th among the 29 wealthy OECD nations that provide aid.

At 0.22 percent of national income Australia's international aid budget is the lowest it has ever been in its history.

But World Vision Australia's chief advocate Tim Costello told Koroi Hawkins the upcoming whitepaper on foreign policy was a once in a generation opportunity to change that.