Major charity groups have expressed concern the Abbott government's restructuring of Australia's aid program could see poverty reduction sidelined as a key objective.
Senior aid figures have told a Senate inquiry that economic growth is just one way to fight poverty, and the sector needs greater clarity about how the government intends to use the $5 billion-a-year assistance budget.
It comes amid speculation the government will wipe poverty reduction from its list of goals for the aid budget as the former development agency AusAid is merged with the foreign affairs department.
The government vowed to enforce accountability in Australia's aid budget if elected, and is now developing performance benchmarks to ensure successful programs get funding over those that miss targets.
Economic growth is at the centre of the government's aid agenda, and both Prime Minister Tony Abbott and Foreign Minister Julie Bishop have been promoting this "aid for trade" mantra.
"The best way to address global poverty is to boost economic growth," Mr Abbott told reporters on Friday.
But not everyone is convinced economic growth is the panacea alone for alleviating poverty.
International Monetary Fund chief Christine Lagarde, in Australia for the G20 finance ministers meeting this week, said poverty reduction should remain a serious concern in itself.
"I believe as managing director of IMF that eliminating poverty... is a very very legitimate and laudable goal, and one that certainly we will help develop and implement in the future," she said.
Principal executive at Care Australia Paul Kelly warned neglecting programs that assist people on the ground in the pursuit of wider economic reforms would abandon many of the poorest in the region.
"Economic growth is a necessary factor in poverty reduction, but it is not sufficient," he told a Senate inquiry into the aid program in Sydney on Friday.
He said many of the world's poorest miss out on the benefits of economic growth because they are marginalised, isolated or live with disability.
Several major groups called for more clarity from the government about how it plans on using the aid budget, blaming the uncertainty for disrupting the implementation of programs on the ground.
Save the Children economist Melissa Wells said she backed the push for a more effective and performance-based aid program, but more details about budget figures and policy objectives were needed.
"We can't have a more effective and high-performing aid program without greater transparency," she said.
Ms Bishop's speech last week stressed the "changing landscape" of development assistance, but said that didn't mean the government would walk away from humanitarian efforts and global responsibilities.
DFAT's own submission to the inquiry stated the objective for the aid program was to promote Australia's national interests through "economic growth and poverty reduction".
