Martin Ferguson (Batman, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Transport, Roads and Tourism) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise this afternoon to talk about the important issue of Australia’s overseas humanitarian aid and the need to improve water and sanitation infrastructure in developing countries. The United Nations has calculated that more than one billion people in the world lack clean water and more than 2½ billion do not have access to adequate sanitation. In our immediate backyard of South-East Asia and the Pacific, it is estimated that 100 million people are without drinking water and 185 million are without sanitation.

Adequate access to clean water means access to 20 litres per day per person, which is far less than the average Australian uses to flush the toilet each day. Achieving water access in our neighbouring countries would cost $2.1 billion per annum through joint aid contributions. The Howard government has presided over Australia’s lowest ever overseas aid contributions. Australia currently donates a shamefully low level of 0.3 per cent of gross national income in overseas aid. A Rudd Labor government will increase Australia’s overseas aid funding to 0.5 of GNI by 2015 and 0.7 per cent in the longer term. Labor is committed to working with developing countries to help meet the United Nations Millennium Development Goals. (Time expired)