ation ▁will ▁enable ▁D F AT ▁to ▁better ▁purs ue ▁Australia ’ s ▁national ▁interests ▁by ▁ens uring ▁closer ▁alignment ▁and ▁mut ually ▁rein for cing ▁link ages ▁among ▁the ▁Government ’ s ▁aid , ▁foreign ▁affairs ▁and ▁trade ▁efforts .” ▁ ▁The ▁impact ▁of ▁the ▁integration ▁on ▁the ▁quality ▁of ▁Australia ' s ▁aid ▁program ▁led ▁to ▁considerable ▁debate . ▁ ▁S cept ics ▁pointed ▁to ▁the ▁departure ▁of ▁a ▁considerable ▁number ▁of ▁experienced ▁aid ▁profession als ▁from ▁the ▁former ▁Aus A ID ▁while ▁the ▁process ▁of ▁integration ▁was ▁taking ▁place ▁and ▁argued ▁that ▁the ▁culture ▁and ▁prior ities ▁of ▁D F AT ▁were ▁not ▁support ive ▁of ▁a ▁quality ▁aid ▁program . ▁ ▁Those ▁in ▁favour ▁of ▁the ▁change ▁argued ▁that ▁closer ▁alignment ▁with ▁foreign ▁affairs ▁would ▁ensure ▁that ▁the ▁aid ▁program ▁was ▁more ▁relevant ▁and ▁would ▁provide ▁better ▁value ▁for ▁money .< ref > G reg ▁Sher idan ▁ 2 0 1 4 . ▁' A ▁more ▁effective ▁aid ▁doll ar . ', ▁The ▁Australian , ▁ 1 8 ▁January .</ ref > ▁ ▁Sub sequently , ▁Bishop ▁announced ▁substantial ▁exp end iture ▁cut s ▁in ▁the ▁aid ▁program . ▁ ▁In ▁O pp osition , ▁the ▁Liberal ▁Party ▁had ▁public ly ▁end ors ed ▁the ▁aim ▁of ▁maintain ing ▁the ▁Australian ▁aid ▁budget ▁at ▁the ▁level ▁of ▁ 0 . 5 % ▁of ▁G DP . ▁ ▁A id ▁sp ending ▁amount ed ▁to ▁around ▁$ 5 . 0 ▁billion ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 4 / 1 5