Jill Hall (Shortland, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I would like to read into the Hansard a letter I received from Emma Field. She writes:

I am a student of Belmont High School and soon to be a younger voter in your electorate. I am writing to you today to bring to your attention the outrageous inequalities in this world, in hope of you bringing this to the government's attention and increasing our foreign aid. In Australia we are currently ranked in top 5 of the wealthiest countries in the world yet Australia spends $5.03 billion on foreign aid – that's only 0.32% of our gross national income; we should increase this. Recent cuts by the liberal government have drastically lowered our aid spending. New cuts recently introduced from the May Federal Budget lowered Australian aid to 22 cents in every $100 of our national income. This is the lowest level ever of Australian aid in its 60-year history. We should be increasing our aid and striving to meet the UKs national aid of 70 cents in every $100. I strongly believe with the labor party on my side we can change the world for the better by making the simple necessities available to everyone; things such as shelter, food, water, and education. Help the new generation have the choices we do.

Water is a vital necessity for human life. People use it to wash, cook, drink and water crops. The world is roughly about 80% water yet there are thousands of people in countries such as Africa, Asia and Latin America that die from dehydration or other water related deficiencies each day.

In Africa, accessing water means walking long distances to collect in containers each day. This is typically done by children and women each day like you and I. How would you like to walk for hours every day in blistering heat to collect water that you aren't even sure is safe to drink? In Australia we are lucky enough to have access to clean drinking water due to the dams and places that improve water equality, in places like Africa they can't afford to have as many as these as we do and only the rich can afford this.

Shelter inequality is getting to far out of hand as the population grows and there is a lack of access to shelter in many places. Hunger is related very much to poverty. Poverty traps people in a downward spiral or cycle—lack of food which leads to poor health, which leads to even greater poverty and the cycle, continues. Many of the world's cities are growing at such rapid rate which makes it hard for proper housing to be provided. People move from the country to find work in the city. Nairobi Africa is a large rapidly growing city and the poor people that go to work there end up on the out skirts in slums. These 'slums' have a lack of access to basic services such as water, sewerage and electricity.

There is enough food to feed everybody in the world but food is unequally distributed in the world. An adequate diet is essential for life. Poor diet causes malnutrition. Without a healthy body, malnourished people face a greater risk from infections and other diseases. Around 850 million people worldwide are considered to be malnourished, and most of these lead in poorer countries of the world. Over 9 million people die each year from hunger and malnutrition. Out of these, 5 million are children. In the world today, a child dies every three seconds as a result from the poverty they are forced to live in. What if one of these children were yours, how would you feel knowing that you could do nothing about it? Many of these deaths are in Africa. Africa needs our help now, but rather than helping them we have cut funding, as the Australian government thinks we have our own problems that need help.

Australia should be helping as many countries as possible to make allies, if a country tries to invade Australia, what is there to stop them as they have no army. Help the world become a better place and help innocent people to have the choices we do.

Emma has shown a lot of insight. She understands that our aid budget should be much greater than it is. She understands that there are many people in the world living in poverty. She understands that water and shelter are vitally important for people's quality of life. She really implores this government to listen to what she is saying. I have brought her message to the House today because as a young high school student she can see what this government misses. I think it is vitally important that we address the issue of aid and support those countries that are in need. (Time expired)