The Australian government is to increase its foreign aid spending by more than half a billion US dollars, taking it to nearly six billion dollars.
The Australian foreign minister, Bob Carr, says Australia remains committed to supporting the Millennium Development Goals and will target malnutrition among women and children in the Asia-Pacific, universal education and maternal and child health.
Mr Carr says it will take Australia's aid spend to 0.37 of a percent of gross national income, but he says the government's previous commitment to reach 0.5 of a percent will not now be reached in 2015.
He says this figure is to be pushed out one year because the government's revenue is not as high as expected and it cannot borrow to provide overseas development assistance.
