Government Progressing Trade Practices Act Reforms to Benefit Consumers and Business
September 2, 2005Indonesian visit, National Accounts, tax, Hurricane Katrina, Iraq, drugs, petrol prices, Telstra – Press Conference, Jakarta
September 7, 2005
NO.077
JOINT MEDIA STATEMENT
Hon Peter Costello Treasurer
Hon Alexander Downer MP Minister for Foreign Affairs
AUSTRALIA TO FUND NEW ACEH RECONSTRUCTION WORK
Australian and Indonesian Ministers today announced the
allocation of $88 million for new reconstruction projects in Indonesia as part
of the Australia Indonesia Partnership for Reconstruction and Development (AIPRD),
the largest single aid package in Australia’s history.
Over $280 million has now been committed to projects since the $1 billion AIPRD
was announced eight months ago.
The new commitments provide further support to Aceh where the international
reconstruction effort is now gathering pace.
Today’s announcement expands Australia’s contribution to physical reconstruction
work in Aceh at a critical time.
This will help to rebuild and repair more schools and health facilities and
community infrastructure.
When the tsunami struck on 26 December, 150,000 children were left without
schools, more than 500,000 people lost their homes and large numbers of hospital
and medical staff died. More than 240,000 parcels of land are without evidence
of legal title.
Australian assistance under the AIPRD is directly addressing such needs:
- helping to train more than 1500 nurses, midwives and health administrators
- delivering over 80 tonnes of school equipment to 46 schools
- helping 66 communities to rebuild village halls and community offices that
serve as the hub for local reconstruction efforts
- deploying community mapping teams who have so far mapped 1500 land parcels
for housing reconstruction
- providing design and engineering supervision for 42 separate construction
projects.
Other areas of Indonesia will also benefit from today’s announcement,
with $25 million being allocated to a Smallholder Agribusiness Development Initiative
to promote efficient production in areas such as horticulture, livestock and
aquaculture.
Under this program we will improve access to technology for rural enterprises,
help to improve business practices and address critical constraints such as
market access, finance and infrastructure gaps. This will help to improve living
standards and reduce poverty in rural areas throughout Indonesia where more
than 135 million people live.
BANDA ACEH
6 September 2005
Contact:
| Amanda Kennedy | Treasurer’s Office | 0418 210 601 |
| Chris Kenny | Mr Downer’s Office | 0419 206 890 |
| Jenny Da Rin | AIPRD | 0419 278 118 |