http://www.thepunch.com.au/author-bios/tim-costello/ Tim Costello is one of Australia’s leading voices on social justice issues. He’s taken a prominent role in national debates on issues such as gambling, urban poverty, homelessness, reconciliation and substance abuse. Tim’s also been instrumental in keeping the issues surrounding global poverty on the national agenda since February 2004, when he joined World Vision Australia as Chief Executive. en Copyright 2012 The Punch penberthyd@newsltd.com.au penberthyd@newsltd.com.au Sat, 26 May 2012 20:00:40 +0000 Sat, 26 May 2012 20:00:40 +0000 Politics, opinion, world news, sports news, latest news, views, Barack Obama, Kevin Rudd, Julia Gillard, Nathan Rees, Malcolm Turnbull, Peter Garrett, Barnaby Joyce, Australian, federal politics, opinion polls, election, The Punch, thepunch, punch ExpressionEngine 1.6.7 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss 15 http://www.thepunch.com.au/images/punch-logo-rss.png http://www.thepunch.com.au/ 144 70 Politics, political opinion, world news, sports news and the latest news and views updated live, daily on The Punch - Australia's best conversation. Search The Punch keywords http://www.thepunch.com.au/search/ http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/coles-woolies-shoot-each-other-but-farmers-get-shot/ Last week Coles announced that it plans to cut the price of fruit and vegetables by up to 50 per cent. Its major competitor, Woolworths soon followed. The price war sounds like great news for Australian consumers. But while it may provide relief to hip-pockets around the country in the short-term, questions are now being asked about the true impact of bargain basement pricing. For most Australians, grocery shopping is a chore we have to squeeze into our busy lives. We rush up and down the aisles, tossing products into our trolley while we mentally juggle the household budget and keep the kids entertained. With all that in mind, it’s not surprising that we embrace bargains, specials and sales with enthusiasm. But how often do we stop to consider the impact our shopping habits have on the wider community? The truth is that someone always bears the cost of cheap produce, whether it be small retailer, distributor or farmer. It may be beneficial to our hip pocket today, but tomorrow that sale price may have untold social or environmental costs. feedback@thepunch.com.au (Tim Costello) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/coles-woolies-shoot-each-other-but-farmers-get-shot/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/coles-woolies-shoot-each-other-but-farmers-get-shot/#item7701 Tue, 07 Feb 2012 19:50:37 +0000 Tim Costello | Author bios | The Punch http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/the-nations-elite-ignore-commoner-sense-on-pokies/ With the Queen having sprinkled her magic on our nation, and the sniff of the sport of kings in the air, a battle royal is fast brewing over pokies. On one side are Australia’s bunyip aristocracy and elite. Rich, powerful and masterfully connected, they are used to getting their way. On the other side, the very plebeian will of the majority - the common sense of the common people. This royal battle which would normally be settled behind closed doors is now public and transparent and will be a watershed test for our nation. With James Packer and his thousands of Crown pokies emerging to join Channel Nine, the NRL, some AFL clubs and state governments - not to mention the $20 million advertising spend from hotels and clubs - the line up is complete. All the vested financial interests are singing from the same song sheet. Their chorus line is ‘this will not work and it is totally up to individual responsibility with some extra counselling thrown in’. Little wonder Tony Abbott chose to align himself with them. feedback@thepunch.com.au (Tim Costello) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/the-nations-elite-ignore-commoner-sense-on-pokies/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/the-nations-elite-ignore-commoner-sense-on-pokies/#item7040 Tue, 01 Nov 2011 19:55:20 +0000 Tim Costello | Author bios | The Punch http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/why-australians-need-to-do-more-for-pakistan/ Disease looms as the second wave of death behind virtually every natural disaster.  It is why the first stages of relief efforts are best measured by what doesn’t happen rather than what does.  The response to the Asian tsunami was stunningly successful in halting thousands more deaths through disease. The threat of disease is the reason why in Pakistan today, even though flood waters have peaked and are beginning to recede, the situation facing millions of survivors is catastrophic. feedback@thepunch.com.au (Tim Costello) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/why-australians-need-to-do-more-for-pakistan/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/why-australians-need-to-do-more-for-pakistan/#item4068 Sun, 19 Sep 2010 20:00:58 +0000 Tim Costello | Author bios | The Punch http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/looking-for-god-on-the-campaign-trail/ The power of the Christian right or the so-called ‘moral majority’ has always loomed large over politics in the United States. The impact here in Australia of a Christian voting bloc has generally held much less power and attention. Yet in recent elections John Howard and Kevin Rudd did speak out publicly about their Christian faith and even attempted to lure the Christian vote. There has not been the same overt pitch for the Christian vote during this campaign. Yet, ironically, it may still have a profound impact on an election that appears to be on a knife edge. Shortly after taking over the role of Prime Minister, Julia Gillard, declared that she did not have a belief in God. Last week ABC current affairs radio program AM aired a piece that focused on what Christian voters thought about the beliefs on our new Prime Minister. feedback@thepunch.com.au (Tim Costello) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/looking-for-god-on-the-campaign-trail/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/looking-for-god-on-the-campaign-trail/#item3780 Wed, 11 Aug 2010 19:45:11 +0000 Tim Costello | Author bios | The Punch http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/bogans-are-the-most-generous-givers/ World Vision is a signed-up member of the ever-growing ‘I Love Frankston’ fan club, applauding the generosity and compassion of local residents whose good deeds often go unnoticed by the media. Results from a recent World Vision survey into child sponsorship found that the so-called ‘bogans’ of Australia often beat out the bourgeoisie and blue-bloods when it comes to making a difference in the fight against global poverty.   According to the survey findings, Frankston residents are among Australia’s biggest givers to children living in poverty, regardless of a weekly median income of $880, which is significantly lower than the national median household income of $1,139. Despite child sponsors accounting for less than two per cent of the total population of Victoria, more than 1,000 Frankston residents currently sponsor a child through World Vision. feedback@thepunch.com.au (Tim Costello) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/bogans-are-the-most-generous-givers/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/bogans-are-the-most-generous-givers/#item817 Tue, 04 Aug 2009 19:40:08 +0000 Tim Costello | Author bios | The Punch