Govt boosts aid on World Refugee Day

Australia has doled out almost $16 million to support displaced people in Afghanistan, Pakistan and the Philippines on World Refugee Day.

A $15 million humanitarian aid package will support Afghan refugees in Pakistan, people returning to Afghanistan from neighbouring countries and Afghan people displaced by conflict.

'It will focus on protecting the most vulnerable, including women and children and people with disabilities,' Foreign Minister Julie Bishop said on Tuesday.

The UN estimates more than 3.3 million Afghan people are displaced across Afghanistan and Pakistan, with more than 1.1 million people returning from neighbouring countries since January 2016.

'Many returnees are in urgent need of assistance with resettlement and reintegration,' Ms Bishop said.

Australia is also providing nearly $1 million in food and supplies to help more than 320,000 people displaced by conflict in Marawi City in the southern Philippines.

The money will go towards providing tarpaulins, sleeping mats, mosquito nets and sanitation kits, as well as rice and water.

The package comes on top of the support Ms Bishop announced in March.

Closer to home, World Refugee Day has senators at loggerheads over Australia's international obligations.

The Senate rejected a motion by the Greens calling for all asylum seekers on Nauru and Manus Island to be brought to Australia.

It also rejected a motion from Pauline Hanson and independent Cory Bernardi calling for Australia to pull out of the United Nations refugee convention.

But the Senate did back a Labor motion calling on the government to increase Australia's refugee intake to 27,000 by 2025.

The global number of refugees and displaced persons has increased by about 300,000 to 65.6 million, the UN's refugee agency estimates.