Steve Georganas (Hindmarsh, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I rise to speak in support of the private member’s motion regarding Australian aid programs. This motion examines Australian aid programs and their impact on eradicating corruption in developing countries, overcoming poverty, strengthening democratic institutions and eliminating gender based discrimination.

Through years of neglect, Australia’s development assistance has lost its focus on poverty reduction. An independent report by the OECD confirmed that Australia needs to place greater attention on reducing global poverty. Australia has been criticised for supplying ‘boomerang aid’, where large amounts of aid finds itself in the pockets of Australian consultants and not in the hands of locals for local services or for directly addressing the problem of poverty. More aid needs to reach the poor and disadvantaged groups within society that are struggling to survive.

Australia delivers one of the lowest levels of development assistance compared with other developed countries. Australia’s development assistance should directly target the reduction of poverty. We believe that in order for us to seriously tackle poverty we must deliver development assistance at a grassroots level. It has been proved that development assistance at this level is the most effective at combating poverty. Our country has the resources, expertise and generosity to design and implement projects targeted at the grassroots which will help eliminate poverty. According to the organisation Make Poverty History, extreme poverty kills 30,000 children every day. Poverty not only kills but also contributes to international insecurity. Extreme poverty has been linked to political and economic instability, human rights abuse, unrest and war, uncontrolled migration and population growth, and environmental degradation.

We as a nation have not done enough to provide development assistance to the world’s least developed countries. The key objectives of the Australian Aid Program should be to work with developing countries to realise the Millennium Development Goals. The Millennium Development Goals should be used as the new framework Australia follows for global overseas development assistance. These goals have the ability to improve the relationship that developed and developing countries share and to improve the effectiveness of Australia’s aid program. The goals provide a clear vision and framework for halving extreme poverty by 2015 and ending it altogether by 2025. Three of the Millennium Development Goals relate specifically to the issues raised by the member for Riverina. These goals include to promote gender equality and empower women, to reduce child mortality and to improve maternal health. Australia’s overseas aid program should involve a cooperative partnership with developing countries. The aid program, within the context of the Millennium Development Goals, will do this.

We need to incorporate the poor in economic and social development and allow for the establishment of activities which enable women to contribute to and benefit from development. In order to promote these activities, we must support and improve the health and education of women. In addition to this, a human rights framework should characterise Australia’s overseas aid program. Recipient countries should respect the human rights of their people, including those of their indigenous peoples. However, we should err on the side of caution in not imposing donor values and structures on developing countries through development assistance.

I welcome the fact that the government has responded to community pressure and announced that it will increase Australia’s development assistance from the embarrassingly low levels to which it has fallen. However, Australia is still one of the few developed countries that to date has failed to produce an action plan for its Millennium Development Goals. Australians will benefit from a more secure world, which will be achieved only when fewer people face desperate circumstances and appalling living conditions every day.

Australians are a very generous people, as we saw in the moving response to the Asian tsunami from right across the community. The generosity is also displayed by the support that Australians have given to the organisation Make Poverty History. The support that this organisation has gained from the Australian community demonstrates the willingness of the Australian population to assist in the global fight against poverty. It is time that Australia made a commitment to eliminating poverty before the end of our lifetimes. It is not enough for us to remain complacent. We need to support those in the global community who need help. Reducing global poverty should be an issue of national importance. On this side of the House we will continue to work to ensure that the government cares as much about the plight of people in extreme poverty as the Australian community does. (Time expired)

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