澳大利亞已經準備大幅減國防開支和縮減承諾增加的外國援助。

Australia is set to make big cuts to defense spending and scale back promised increases in foreign aid. Deputy Prime Minister Wayne Swan outlined the big spending cuts needed to achieve a 1.5 billion dollar surplus in the next fiscal year beginning July 1st.
The budget deficit for the current year has almost doubled from the levels forecast a year ago. Swan blamed less- than-expected tax revenue due in part to the European debt crisis and damage from record flooding and storms.
The cuts aren't expected to affect Australia's overseas military deployments including the 1,550 troops in Afghanistan. The government announced last week it had deferred the purchase of 12 U.S.-built F-35 Joint Strike Fighters as a cost-cutting measure.
Australia's long-standing pledge to increase foreign aid spending to 0.5 percent of GDP by 2016 is being postponed by a year under the new budget.