Labor calls for aid for Syrian refugees

The government must boost its aid to Syria or risk 1.7 million refugees going hungry this winter, federal Labor says.

The UN World Food Program has been forced to suspend its food voucher program because of a lack of funding and has called for $US64 million ($A69.25 million) so support can resume.

Labor's foreign affairs spokeswoman, Tanya Plibersek, says that instead of threatening further cuts to the overseas aid budget, the Abbott government should help resolve the humanitarian emergency.

"Unfortunately, Australia has been pretty poor in its response to the Syrian crisis," she told reporters in Canberra on Tuesday.

The government had provided $35 million in humanitarian relief, compared with the $100 million provided by Labor in government.

"Australian assistance has actually declined as the crisis has worsened," Ms Plibersek said, adding the aid budget had been "cut to the bone" by the Abbott government.