This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/may/07/the-coalition-is-set-to-slash-foreign-aid-but-we-can-still-make-a-difference

The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 1 Version 2
The Coalition is set to slash foreign aid – but we can still make a difference The Coalition is set to slash foreign aid – but we can still make a difference
(4 months later)
Despite Despite the substantial amount of ink spilt since last week’s release of the Commission of Audit’s recommendations, one piece of advice almost certain to be implemented has attracted little notice.
the substantial amount of ink spilt since last week’s release of the Commission It’s “better manage[ment]” of Australia’s overseas aid program, included in recommendation 31. This includes an untying of aid spending to our gross national income and a limiting of any future aid increases to a rate no greater than that of inflation.
of Audit’s recommendations, one piece of advice almost certain to be In other words, forget about the recent bipartisan promises made to boost Australia’s aid spend to 0.5% of gross national income – a promise that falls far short of what is required of the world’s wealthier nations to meet the United Nation’s millennium development goals.
implemented has attracted little notice. Development budgets and commitments are traditionally one of the first casualties when money is tight. As a former foreign minister once said, “there are no votes in aid.”
It’s “better manage[ment]” of Australia’s overseas aid program, included The reasons for this, says the associate director of the Indo-Pacific Governance Research Centre Andrew Rosser, is that domestic aid supporters are predominantly NGOs, church groups, aid contractors, and universities – all groups lacking the economic and political clout of the business lobby or trade unions.
in recommendation 31. This includes an untying of aid spending to our gross But such analysis is the beginning of the story – not the end.
national income and a limiting of any future aid increases to a rate no greater Yes, it would be wonderful if successive Australian governments kept their promises to dedicate a reasonable and reliable proportion of the nation’s income to reversing the grinding poverty, hunger and disease of those living below the poverty line in places like East Timor, Papua New Guinea and the Pacific Islands.
than that of inflation. Certainly, there are sound, practical reasons why they should. These include increasing Australia’s security and maintaining and expanding trade opportunities. Foreign development aid creates the connections, trust and goodwill that serves our national and commercial interests.
In other But we don’t have to wait for Australian governments to act in the national interest when it comes to foreign development aid. We can do something to help our nearest neighbors now. We can choose to act not just because it’s in the national interest, but because we care and helping those in need is the right thing to do.
words, forget about the recent bipartisan promises made to boost Australia’s It’s hard to overestimate how important it is to many Australians to feel they can make a difference about issues that matter to them. For many, charity starts in the home or with neighbours. Such locally-oriented givers feel best when they are assured their contribution got where it was going, and made a difference they can see. But even those with a more national or international focus want to know they're doing the right thing, and that their efforts aren’t being lost to corruption or inefficiency.
aid spend to 0.5% of gross national income – a promise that falls far So what should we do in the face of what could be significant cuts to Australia’s development aid? My advice is don’t get cynical, depressed or angry. Instead, get active. Be inspired.
short of what is required of the world’s wealthier nations to meet the United I like the story of the young Aussies who dared one another to try eating on less than $2 a day after they’d been working on an anti-poverty initiative in Bangladesh together. From humble beginnings in a backyard in Melbourne, Live Below the Line has become a global movement that has raised more than $6m, providing young people throughout the Asia Pacific with an education and empowering them to break out of the cycle of poverty.
Nation’s millennium development goals. Take the challenge of living below the poverty line, fast for 40 hours or do it in a dress. If you’re time poor or unwell, don’t worry. She who doesn’t try to do everything does something. Think of Anita Roddick, whose tiny cosmetic shop in Britain built on the principle of social and environmental change became the world-wide Body Shop chain. Or Muhammad Yunus, founder of Grameen Bank, which provides the poor in India with micro-finance to start a business.
Development We can’t let our individual moral priorities be determined by what our government does or doesn’t do. Each of us has the power to make a difference to this world by being the change we want to see, right here and now.
budgets and commitments are traditionally one of the first casualties when • Leslie Cannold is an ambassador for the 2014 Live Below the Line Campaign
money is tight. As
a former foreign minister once said, “there are no votes in aid.”
The
reasons for this, says the associate director of the Indo-Pacific Governance
Research Centre Andrew Rosser, is that domestic aid supporters are
predominantly NGOs,
church groups, aid contractors, and universities – all groups lacking the economic
and political clout of the business lobby or trade unions.
But such
analysis is the beginning of the story – not the end.
Yes, it
would be wonderful if successive Australian governments kept their promises to
dedicate a reasonable and reliable proportion of the nation’s income to reversing the grinding poverty, hunger and disease of
those living below the poverty line in places like East Timor, Papua New Guinea
and the Pacific Islands.
Certainly, there are sound,
practical reasons why they should. These include increasing Australia’s security and maintaining and
expanding trade opportunities. Foreign development aid creates the connections,
trust and goodwill that serves our national and commercial interests.
But we don’t have to wait
for Australian governments to act in the national interest when it comes to
foreign development aid. We can do something to help our nearest neighbors now.
We can choose to act not just because it’s in the national interest, but
because we care and helping those in need is the right thing to do.
It’s
hard to overestimate how important it is to many Australians to feel they can
make a difference about issues that matter to them. For
many, charity starts in the home or with neighbours. Such locally-oriented
givers feel best when they are assured their contribution got where it was
going, and made a difference they can see. But even those with a more national
or international focus want to know they're doing the right thing, and that their
efforts aren’t being lost to corruption or inefficiency.
So what
should we do in the face of what could be significant cuts to Australia’s
development aid? My advice
is don’t get cynical, depressed or angry. Instead,
get active. Be inspired.
I like the story of the young Aussies who dared one another to try eating on less than $2 a day after they’d been working on an anti-poverty initiative in Bangladesh together. From humble beginnings in a
backyard in Melbourne, Live Below the Line has become a global movement that
has raised more than $6m, providing young people throughout the Asia
Pacific with an education and empowering them to break out of the cycle of
poverty.
Take the
challenge of living below the poverty line, fast for 40 hours or do it in a
dress. If you’re time poor or unwell, don’t worry. She who doesn’t try to do
everything does something. Think of Anita Roddick, whose tiny
cosmetic shop in Britain built on the principle of social and environmental
change became the world-wide Body Shop chain. Or Muhammad Yunus, founder of Grameen Bank, which
provides the poor in India with micro-finance to start a business.
We
can’t let our individual moral priorities be determined by what our government
does or doesn’t do. Each of us has the power to make a difference to this world
by being the change we want to see, right here and now.
• Leslie Cannold is an ambassador for the 2014 Live Below
the Line Campaign