I was reading an article tonight about the United Nations Millennium Development goals. Kevin Rudd is over in New York at the moment discussing with the UN the progress towards these goals that Australia signed up to in 2000. Australia committed to give 0.7% of gross income to foreign aid.
You can read the full article here... http://news.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=637293
There was one line that struck me, and kind of made me a little angry. When asked why 0.7% was merely an 'aspiration', Rudd replied "we have many other competing priorities on the Australian budget and those will take priority".
That's a fair enough call, but Rudd can't leave it at that. He has to tell us what these competing priorities are. Are they tax breaks for the rich of our country?. Or are they improving our education system?. Is it to invest money into early intervention for at risk families?. Is it to end our disgraceful housing crisis?. What exactly are these 'competing priorities'?.
Maybe if Rudd explained this, i would understand a little more why he isn't contributing more to foreign aid. No matter what the reasons, I still think there's a way we could balance it all out so we could still help with foreign aid, and fight the injustice in our own country. I somehow think in a prosperous country like Australia, we could do it.
Meanwhile, while we figure this out, a child dies every three seconds. Every day 16,000 children die of preventable starvation, malnutrition or related sickness. That's more than 6 million each year.
By the time I've written this blog about this topic, it'll be too late for some children... That grieves my heart, and I'm sure it grieves Gods heart.
Just a thought or two.
For Him Alone.
Ness
justsalvos.com
12 years ago
2 comments:
Just wondering what you personally are doing towards foreign aid? We are all very quick to slag off at the government (and Rudd who is having to still mop up Howard's mess) but what do we do personally? Did you eat out sometime in the last week? The cost of that one meal could possibly have fed one of those children you were talking about for a whole month. It grieves your heart? But what are you doing to help?
Hi Anonymous.
Fair call hey. I know that there's a bigger picture to it all, but I would still be very interested to know what Rudd's competing priorities are.
It's also good to acknowledge that we as individuals can make a difference, despite what our Governments might contribute. They're decrease in their contributions to the millenium development goals doesn't excuse our own lack of contributions to the cause.
Thanks for the challenge.... Some things to think about.
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