http://www.thepunch.com.au/tags/foreign-aid/ Politics, political opinion, world news, sports news and the latest news and views updated live, daily on The Punch - Australia's best conversation. en Copyright 2012 The Punch penberthyd@newsltd.com.au penberthyd@newsltd.com.au Sat, 26 May 2012 20:00:49 +0000 Sat, 26 May 2012 20:00:49 +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/our-budget-blade-didnt-cut-aid-its-being-paid-in-spades/ Ten million children vaccinated. 2.5 million people with access to safe drinking water. And 30 million people supported through humanitarian crises like famine and war. These are some outcomes to be delivered this year, by Australia’s Budget for overseas aid. This year, Australia’s aid budget will rise – by $300 million, to a record $5.2 billion. And it will go on rising - reaching $7.7 billion in three year’s time. In dollar terms our aid budget is the largest in our history. As a percentage of Gross National Income, it’s at 0.35%, rising to 0.5% by 2016/17. That’s just one year later than planned – a pretty good outcome in a tough budget year. penberthyd@newsltd.com.au (David Penberthy) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/our-budget-blade-didnt-cut-aid-its-being-paid-in-spades/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/our-budget-blade-didnt-cut-aid-its-being-paid-in-spades/#item8514 Sat, 26 May 2012 20:00:49 +0000 The Australian aid sector’s fury at the aid budget cuts announced on Tuesday has been focused on the dollar figure that the Government has (or rather, hasn’t) allocated to foreign aid. But there’s another reason to be angry. Alongside its much-smaller-that-promised aid budget, the Gillard government delivered another announcement. “Australia is deepening its engagement with effective multilateral organisations including the Development Banks,” Foreign Minister Carr blogged proudly on Wednesday. http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/what-happened-to-thegovts-promise-to-help-the-poor/ The Australian aid sector’s fury at the aid budget cuts announced on Tuesday has been focused on the dollar figure that the Government has (or rather, hasn’t) allocated to foreign aid. But there’s another reason to be angry. Alongside its much-smaller-that-promised aid budget, the Gillard government delivered another announcement. “Australia is deepening its engagement with effective multilateral organisations including the Development Banks,” Foreign Minister Carr blogged proudly on Wednesday. penberthyd@newsltd.com.au (David Penberthy) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/what-happened-to-thegovts-promise-to-help-the-poor/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/what-happened-to-thegovts-promise-to-help-the-poor/#item8464 Sat, 26 May 2012 20:00:49 +0000 The Australian aid sector’s fury at the aid budget cuts announced on Tuesday has been focused on the dollar figure that the Government has (or rather, hasn’t) allocated to foreign aid. But there’s another reason to be angry. Alongside its much-smaller-that-promised aid budget, the Gillard government delivered another announcement. “Australia is deepening its engagement with effective multilateral organisations including the Development Banks,” Foreign Minister Carr blogged proudly on Wednesday. http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/We-must-immunise-our-aid-budget-from-amputation/ Every 20 seconds, a baby or toddler will die from a disease that can be prevented by a simple vaccine. Most of these deaths happen in developing countries because children go without the immunisations and lack access to other health services that parents in wealthy nations take for granted. As usual, it is the poorest children in the poorest countries who are least likely to be immunised, and it is those same children who are at the greatest risk of being exposed to life-threatening, preventable diseases like tetanus, polio and measles. This week, April 21-28, is World Immunisation Week, and around the world we acknowledge that all children have the right to life and health, no matter where they live. penberthyd@newsltd.com.au (David Penberthy) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/We-must-immunise-our-aid-budget-from-amputation/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/We-must-immunise-our-aid-budget-from-amputation/#item8338 Sat, 26 May 2012 20:00:49 +0000 The Australian aid sector’s fury at the aid budget cuts announced on Tuesday has been focused on the dollar figure that the Government has (or rather, hasn’t) allocated to foreign aid. But there’s another reason to be angry. Alongside its much-smaller-that-promised aid budget, the Gillard government delivered another announcement. “Australia is deepening its engagement with effective multilateral organisations including the Development Banks,” Foreign Minister Carr blogged proudly on Wednesday. http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/water-everywhere-and-still-millions-without-sanitation/ Australians do not need to be told that today is World Water Day to remember that water is both a giver and taker of life. This is the driest populated continent and we know well the impact of both floods and droughts. But how many people are aware that billions of people across the world still lack access to a hygienic toilet, a tap and soap? Or that the failure to provide sanitation and safe drinking water causes about 4000 children to die every day? The preventable diseases caused by poor sanitation cause more child deaths than malaria, measles and HIV/AIDS combined. Almost one in three people live in unsanitary conditions. penberthyd@newsltd.com.au (David Penberthy) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/water-everywhere-and-still-millions-without-sanitation/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/water-everywhere-and-still-millions-without-sanitation/#item8061 Sat, 26 May 2012 20:00:49 +0000 The Australian aid sector’s fury at the aid budget cuts announced on Tuesday has been focused on the dollar figure that the Government has (or rather, hasn’t) allocated to foreign aid. But there’s another reason to be angry. Alongside its much-smaller-that-promised aid budget, the Gillard government delivered another announcement. “Australia is deepening its engagement with effective multilateral organisations including the Development Banks,” Foreign Minister Carr blogged proudly on Wednesday. http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/foreign-diplomatic-service-a-deadly-serious-business/ The Mexican Ambassador to Venezuala was recently kidnapped. A ransom demand ensued and after five or six hours he was released.  The incident happened right outside his house in what was thought to be a safer part of town.  The attack was highly co-ordinated with three teams of assailants using sophisticated and powerful weaponry. While no-one was hurt, the episode was traumatic and by no means a one-off incident.  It has left the diplomatic community in this city thinking intensely about how to deal with this ever-present danger in as professional a way as possible. penberthyd@newsltd.com.au (David Penberthy) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/foreign-diplomatic-service-a-deadly-serious-business/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/foreign-diplomatic-service-a-deadly-serious-business/#item7712 Sat, 26 May 2012 20:00:49 +0000 The Australian aid sector’s fury at the aid budget cuts announced on Tuesday has been focused on the dollar figure that the Government has (or rather, hasn’t) allocated to foreign aid. But there’s another reason to be angry. Alongside its much-smaller-that-promised aid budget, the Gillard government delivered another announcement. “Australia is deepening its engagement with effective multilateral organisations including the Development Banks,” Foreign Minister Carr blogged proudly on Wednesday. http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/africa-now-the-good-news/ Once again Africa is gripped by a catastrophic famine.  As developed countries and NGOs scramble to mobilise aid, we are told incomprehensible numbers of people face a ghastly death by starvation, including hundreds of thousands of children. It can make you despair.  Sometimes we feel like turning away, we seem so powerless and the problems so entrenched and repetitive. Giving money can feel pointless; commercial TV news hardly mentions the crisis, guessing it will have viewers reaching for the remote control. But there’s another story about Africa many Australians might find very surprising. penberthyd@newsltd.com.au (David Penberthy) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/africa-now-the-good-news/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/africa-now-the-good-news/#item6512 Sat, 26 May 2012 20:00:49 +0000 The Australian aid sector’s fury at the aid budget cuts announced on Tuesday has been focused on the dollar figure that the Government has (or rather, hasn’t) allocated to foreign aid. But there’s another reason to be angry. Alongside its much-smaller-that-promised aid budget, the Gillard government delivered another announcement. “Australia is deepening its engagement with effective multilateral organisations including the Development Banks,” Foreign Minister Carr blogged proudly on Wednesday. http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/four-very-good-reasons-why-every-aid-dollar-is-needed/ Floods, earthquakes, droughts and cyclones are becoming more frequent around the world and the number of people affected by them is growing. In developed countries such as Australia and New Zealand we are experiencing firsthand the demands these events place on those directly affected and on those responding. In developing countries these challenges are amplified. As Australia’s aid program continues to grow – in line with the bi-partisan commitment for aid funding to reach half a per cent of our national income by 2015 – it will become even more important to make sure we are using this money effectively. The current Independent Review of Aid Effectiveness, led by Sandy Hollway, is timely, needed and most welcome. Australia’s aid program has experienced an unusually high profile in recent weeks. Opposition Leader Tony Abbott’s proposal to ‘defer’ a $448 million aid program to Indonesian schools – and the alleged ructions in Shadow Cabinet over it – generated a lively public debate. penberthyd@newsltd.com.au (David Penberthy) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/four-very-good-reasons-why-every-aid-dollar-is-needed/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/four-very-good-reasons-why-every-aid-dollar-is-needed/#item5155 Sat, 26 May 2012 20:00:49 +0000 The Australian aid sector’s fury at the aid budget cuts announced on Tuesday has been focused on the dollar figure that the Government has (or rather, hasn’t) allocated to foreign aid. But there’s another reason to be angry. Alongside its much-smaller-that-promised aid budget, the Gillard government delivered another announcement. “Australia is deepening its engagement with effective multilateral organisations including the Development Banks,” Foreign Minister Carr blogged proudly on Wednesday. http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/we-should-fund-islamic-schools-for-our-own-good/ Public money should not be spent on promoting religion. We don’t need religious school chaplains. State schools should be well and truly secular. Religion is a choice, not an educational need. Taxpayers should not foot the bill for others to indulge their beliefs. Except in Indonesia. penberthyd@newsltd.com.au (David Penberthy) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/we-should-fund-islamic-schools-for-our-own-good/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/we-should-fund-islamic-schools-for-our-own-good/#item5120 Sat, 26 May 2012 20:00:49 +0000 The Australian aid sector’s fury at the aid budget cuts announced on Tuesday has been focused on the dollar figure that the Government has (or rather, hasn’t) allocated to foreign aid. But there’s another reason to be angry. Alongside its much-smaller-that-promised aid budget, the Gillard government delivered another announcement. “Australia is deepening its engagement with effective multilateral organisations including the Development Banks,” Foreign Minister Carr blogged proudly on Wednesday. http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/australias-foreign-aid-is-starved-of-attention/ Over recent years, Australia has doubled its financial commitment to foreign aid. Yet our aid program has remained starved of attention from the government, media and community at large. On Tuesday, Kevin Rudd sought to rectify this by announcing a five-month independent review of the effectiveness of Australia aid. penberthyd@newsltd.com.au (David Penberthy) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/australias-foreign-aid-is-starved-of-attention/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/australias-foreign-aid-is-starved-of-attention/#item4504 Sat, 26 May 2012 20:00:49 +0000 The Australian aid sector’s fury at the aid budget cuts announced on Tuesday has been focused on the dollar figure that the Government has (or rather, hasn’t) allocated to foreign aid. But there’s another reason to be angry. Alongside its much-smaller-that-promised aid budget, the Gillard government delivered another announcement. “Australia is deepening its engagement with effective multilateral organisations including the Development Banks,” Foreign Minister Carr blogged proudly on Wednesday. http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/png-a-forgotten-neighbour/ It has a population of 6.3 million. It is one of Australia’s two really large recipients of aid. We are its largest trading partner. It is our 19th. It’s about 400 times closer to us than New Zealand. Yet for some reason our media and public discourse doesn’t seem to rate the importance of Papua New Guinea. On this website a search on Papua New Guinea yields 23 hits compared to 35 for Spain, 76 for South Africa and 94 for Iran. penberthyd@newsltd.com.au (David Penberthy) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/png-a-forgotten-neighbour/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/png-a-forgotten-neighbour/#item4250 Sat, 26 May 2012 20:00:49 +0000 The Australian aid sector’s fury at the aid budget cuts announced on Tuesday has been focused on the dollar figure that the Government has (or rather, hasn’t) allocated to foreign aid. But there’s another reason to be angry. Alongside its much-smaller-that-promised aid budget, the Gillard government delivered another announcement. “Australia is deepening its engagement with effective multilateral organisations including the Development Banks,” Foreign Minister Carr blogged proudly on Wednesday.