Julie Bishop to question Joe Hockey over reports of possible foreign aid cuts in next budget
By political reporter
Eliza Borrello
Updated about an hour ago
PHOTO: Julie Bishop says she has not been made aware of further cuts to the foreign aid budget. (AAP: Mal Fairclough)
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Foreign Minister Julie Bishop says she plans to question Treasurer Joe Hockey about a report suggesting the aid budget is likely to suffer more cuts in May.
Foreign aid has taken significant hits in recent budgets and The Australian has reported it is likely to suffer another small cut in May.
But Ms Bishop said the cuts were news to her.
"I'm not aware of that detail, so I read that for the first time in Greg Sheridan's column today," Ms Bishop said.
When asked on Radio National whether she would be aware if her budget was going to be cut again Ms Bishop said, "well you'd hope I would be, wouldn't you?"
"So I'll certainly be taking that up with the Treasurer to find out the source of that story."
It is understood there have been tensions between Ms Bishop and her cabinet colleagues over aid funding for some time.
In October the ABC reported Ms Bishop had made it clear to senior colleagues she would fight any attempt to cut the aid budget.
At the time, a source told the ABC Ms Bishop confronted colleagues about an article in The Australian foreshadowing aid cuts.
The source said Ms Bishop raised the article and asked which Cabinet minister was talking to the media about her portfolio without consulting her.
A colleague suggested that every portfolio would have to look at further budget savings in light of the increased costs of deploying troops in the Middle East.
Despite Ms Bishop's protestations, aid was cut in the Mid-Year Economic and Fiscal Outlook (MYEFO) by $3.7 billion.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-03-...estion-treasurer-over-aid-cut-reports/6339780
