Guy Barnett (Tasmania, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Tonight I would like to speak on the millennium development goals and Micah Challenge. This is especially relevant because it is Anti-Poverty Week. I noted the contribution of Senator Mark Arbib earlier this evening. I concur with his comments and I thank him for his contribution. Along with many other senators in this place, last week I was standing with Senator Ursula Stephens at the launch of a report prepared with the support of the Micah Challenge and the millennium development goals’ supporters in this country. Senator Arbib was at that particular event, together with Senator John Williams, and I know that it has the support of many senators in this place.

Together with Senator Polley, in my home state of Tasmania I have supported the millennium development goals through different initiatives and activities supporting Micah Challenge. Since joining the Senate in February 2002, I have made it a priority not only in this place but also in my own state of Tasmania to support the Make Poverty History campaign, and I have had the honour of successfully moving motions in the Senate in support of the millennium development goals.

As part of the Voices For Justice event in Canberra this week, Micah Challenge has released a report entitled We can meet the challenge! Why Australia can and should meet the international aid target. I would like to comment on that report shortly. Before doing so, I would like to thank and commend Ben McKinnon, Jemma Gardam and Amy Bradley, from Launceston, with whom I met today. They are in Canberra this week, on behalf of the Micah Challenge team, for forums, seminars, workshops and meetings with various members of parliament. Ben McKinnon works for the Scripture Union in Tasmania, and I count him as a friend. He stimulated me into action early in my Senate career when he asked me the question: ‘What are you doing about the millennium development goals?’ At the time, I did not know much about it. I said: ‘Not much. I don’t know anything about it. Tell me about it.’ And then I did some research and I was motivated into action. So a very young man motivated me into action. I think that says everybody can make a difference in the world, whether it be those in the Senate chamber or others in the community. Since then, together with others, Ben has initiated ‘Make a difference’ days, or MAD days—Micah Challenge initiatives in and around Launceston, in northern Tasmania, in schools, with kids. I was at the Exeter Primary School, together with Dick Adams and others, supporting their campaign at that time. It is great. You can make a difference. Here in Australia, we can make a difference in terms of eradicating poverty around the world.

There are eight millennium development goals. They are: (1) to eradicate extreme hunger and poverty; (2) to achieve universal primary education; (3) to promote gender equality and empower women; (4) to reduce child mortality; (5) to improve maternal health; (6) to combat HIV-AIDS, malaria and other diseases; (7) to ensure environmental sustainability; and (8) to develop a global partnership for development. These are very important goals, and this parliament and its members fully support them.

The Micah Challenge is a global movement of Christian agencies, churches, groups and individuals. There are some 25 organisations in Australia. They aim to deepen people’s engagement with the world’s poor and to reduce poverty as an integral part of their Christian faith. Micah Challenge takes its name from the prophet Micah, who wrote at Micah 6:8: ‘What does the Lord require of thee but to act justly, to love mercy and to walk humbly with thy God?’ It is a great verse, a good question, and a great challenge for us to consider every day when we wake up to face the day ahead.

I rode on a pushbike to support the launch of the campaign on Monday, together with the Hon. Kevin Andrews, the Hon. Pat Farmer, Julie Owens MP and many others to give it a bit of a boost and to say yes, we can make a difference. We were there, in our bike gear, making a difference.

The Micah Challenge kicked off in 1970, when the international community adopted an aid target for rich countries of 0.7 per cent of national income—that is, developed economies should devote 70c in every $100 they earn to international development assistance. In terms of Australia, the coalition supports government’s goal of 0.5 per cent by 2015. Our leader, Malcolm Turnbull, is very open-minded in reviewing our commitments and policies. He recently referred to his relationship with Tim Costello, whom I commend and thank for his leadership in this area and the work that he does in supporting not only the Micah Challenge but the efforts of World Vision in making a difference in the world. Mr Turnbull referred to the importance of foreign aid and having measured outcomes. He noted that Australia has a big heart, and I agree with him. It was a very good comment.

I want to commend Amanda Jackson from the Micah Challenge team, Melinda Tankard Reist and the organising committee for what they have done this week with the dozens and dozens of people from all around Australia. Thank you for being in this parliament. Thank you for trying to make a difference. Thank you for influencing me and others to try to make a difference in our world.

The domestic resources of many developing countries are so low that they are unable to make the needed investments in infrastructure, health and education. For example, in 2006 government expenditures converted to purchasing power parities saw the government of Australia spend over US$6,000 per Australian. But the government of Cambodia was able to spend only $109; the government of Malawi, $122; and the government of Bangladesh, just $140. In other words, when the governments of Cambodia, Bangladesh and Malawi sought to provide services to their people they had revenues that in purchasing power terms were less than 2.5 per cent of the purchasing power of the Australian government. So development assistance can help developing countries fill the financing gap. Aid alone of course cannot solve poverty. Developing countries must implement effective plans to lift their populations out of poverty and mobilise their own public and private resources to this end. Even after they have done this, developing countries need our assistance to make up the gap between their own resources and the resources they need.

I refer the Senate to an important article by Tim Costello in the Age last month. He said:

… little more than three decades ago, few Australian companies dared invest in China. It was a poor country bedevilled by corruption and a lack of transparency, and was struggling under crumbling infrastructure. Today countries such as Vietnam and Cambodia loom as the next frontier for Australian business.

This business opportunity is underpinned by the realisation that the vast majority of products and services are developed exclusively for the richest 10% of the world’s customers. Business now understands the 5 billion people at the bottom of the world’s economic pyramid not as ‘a problem’ but as a massive, untapped, potential market.

It is why in Australia companies such as IBM, KPMG, Visy, IAG Insurance and the Grey Group set up the Business for Millenium Development alliance to highlight how Australian companies can do more to reduce poverty while developing business with emerging markets in the Asia-Pacific region.

And this is where the Millennium Development Goals are so critical. The MDGs aim to eradicate extreme poverty and hunger. They commit developing countries to boost education, health and environmental outcomes.

And he goes on. It is a good article and he makes some very good points.

It is a question not just of aid but of free trade and the importance of fair trade. I note that the Doha round of the World Trade Organisation trade talks broke down in Geneva in late July this year. Some have said this is the end of the round while others have said it is only a pause. I would encourage the government to do all in its power to see the talks resurrected. This can really make a difference, helping people help themselves, particularly in Third World countries. It was not so long ago that every day 30,000 children were dying from preventable causes. That is disgraceful and should motivate us all to act. Nearly 11 million children under the age of five die every single year. The case just a few years ago was that each day 58,000 people were dying from hunger and easily preventable diseases. Things are improving; we have made progress; but there is more to do. I thank the Senate and I urge the public and the Senate to support the Millennium Development Goals and the efforts of the Micah Challenge.