Australia spends four times more on pets than foreign aid

Foreign Minister Penny Wong refers to neighbouring countries as Australia’s Pacific Family and likes to highlight the closeness of the relationship. But there’s a family member that Australians readily spend far more money on than aid to the Pacific: Australians spend ten times more in a calendar year on pets than on aid to Pacific neighbours.

In the 2025-26 budget summary, we read:

As a leading economic partner in the region, Australia drives inclusive and sustainable development through policy reform, social protection, trade, investment and workforce initiatives. Our investments strengthen regional prosperity and economic resilience, helping Australia and our partners withstand global economic shocks.

Australia’s total foreign aid budget, which the government calls Official Development Assistance (ODA), was $5.097 billion in 2025-6. According to Animal Medicines Australia’s major survey and study of pet ownership, Australians spent $21 billion on their animals in the year to March 2025.

Source: Animal Medicines Australia; DFAT

In fact, Australians spent more on veterinary services and alternative healthcare treatments ($2.5 billion) than the Australian government spent on aid to the Pacific ($2.1 billion).

Australia has one of the lowest spends on foreign aid compared with other developed countries. When it comes to Defence spending, Australia is prepared to spend hundreds of billions of dollars for submarines that likely will never be built. But security is not a question of military might. Security is the product of good relationships and neighbours that flourish.

Under successive governments, Australia has failed to meet its commitments to spend 0.7% of GNI on foreign aid. In fact, under the Albanese Government, spending is at just 0.19% of GNI.

According to a recent poll on foreign aid spending, around half (49%) of Australians think that the amount spent on foreign aid is about right. The survey only asked the foreign aid budget in dollar terms and as a percentage of the total budget rather than in comparison with what Australia spends on other things – like pets.

Australia is a wealthy country. Just looking at the amount Australians spend on their pets each year is proof. A wealthy country can afford to meet its commitments to foreign aid; the current funding levels are a choice that Australia makes to the detriment of its reputation and the wellbeing of family near and far.