Australia’s National Audit Office reported that only a small fraction of the A$1 billion ($729 million) aid for the 2004 tsunami victims has been disbursed. “At the time of this report, $947 million of the $1 billion funding had been committed by the Joint Commission… although only some $70 million - all grants - had been expended at the 31st of March 2006,” Auditor-General Ian McPhee said. McPhee noted that some of the budget went to AusAID salary and administrative expenses. “It is not clear that this was envisaged at the time funding arrangements were originally developed - the Australian Government’s stated aim was that the full $1 billion of funds be available for reconstruction and development. In this context, more explicit arrangements are warranted for these salary and administrative costs,” he stated. (Source: Majority of tsunami aid outstanding/Australian Broadcasting Corporation)
