Australia: Don’t cut smart aid
The following is a blog from Michael Sheldrick ONE member and Policy Manager, Global Poverty Project.
I have great news, but some alarming news too. Smart aid from Australia is saving and transforming lives. We’ve reduced malaria rates in the Solomon Islands by more than half, enabled thousands of girls to go to school, saved countless lives and lifted millions of people out of extreme poverty. But right now this amazing progress is under threat as our Government is considering breaking its promise to the world’s poorest people.
The Government is looking for ways to bring the budget back into surplus next week, and reports suggest that smart aid is on the chopping block. The next few days are crucial. We’re asking ONE members in Australia to please send an urgent message to Wayne Swan to urge him not to cut aid.
To build on remarkable progress smart aid has achieved, the Labor Party promised at the last two elections to double international aid to 0.5% of Gross National Income by 2015. Or to put another way for it to reach just 50 cents in every $100 of Australia’s national income.
By keeping its promise to increase aid in this year’s budget, the Government will allow Australia to save the lives of an extra 500,000 people each year, vaccinate 7.7 million children against deadly diseases over the next 5 years, and help break the cycle of hunger and malnutrition in the world’s poorest communities. Please help ensure these vital goals are not derailed.
The Treasurer is faced with some tough choices as the Government tries to bring the budget into surplus. But Australia can afford to keep its promises to the world’s poorest. Although we were ranked as the second wealthiest country in the world in a report last year, our commitments put us in the bottom half of the wealthy nations that give aid. Others have kept their aid promises despite facing tougher economic conditions.
If enough Australian members email Wayne Swan in the next few days we can help ensure smart Australian aid continues to deliver amazing results, and that the budget isn’t balanced on the backs of the world’s poorest people.
Together as ONE we can make a difference.
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The International ONE Blog is a daily log of the anti-poverty movement. The site is operated by ONE staff, with guest contributions from ONE volunteers, members and allies.
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