Chris
When was the ever a perception that “things are going well” in Australia? Even under “relaxed and comfortable” John Howard, after many years of economic growth and low unemployment, there was a strong negative narrative in public debate – budgets are being squeezed, the poor are getting poorer, global corporations won’t let governments do what citizens want. It was nonsense then and it’s nonsense now.

Given that we rank quite poorly in terms of foreign aid, in what ways do you think we’re “a generous country”?

Hasbeen
I agree the Australian military must be well equipped, but the budget measures don’t threaten that

Well we take a lot of immigrants from poorer nations, they may send part of income back home (1 in 4 doctors here is now a foreinger), and we buy a lot of cheaper goods from other poorer nations.

We may also offer a high level of donations from the non-govt sector, although I would have to look this up.

What Rhain and Jo do not take into account is that the budget allowed for about $1 billion to be spent on rescueing, assessing and settling illegal entry foreigners. That has to be added to the foreign aid committment.

Just a short time ago the government generously committed $7 billion to the IMF to help prop up those European countries that are in financial difficulties. Don't like our chances of getting that money back. That is genuine foreign aid.

But Jo and Rhain are only talking about the cash handouts we give to NGOs so they can squander it and pay their own executive high salaries.

I consider we are more than generous and our generousity is being taken advantage of. Need to tighten further.

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/more-news/aus-aid-foreign-programs-plagued-by-fraud/story-e6frf7l6-1226027646347

Perhaps before we throw even more billions at foreign aid, Rhian,
we should make sure that what we do spend is spent wisely. That does
not seem to be the case.

That is the problem with all these programmes and programmes
associated with the UN etc. It becomes a lavish feast for
bureaucrats, who are up to their eyeballs in taxpayer funded cream.

I took note when Straus Khan was charged, of the quoted figure for
his IMF funded hotel room. 3 Grand a night. We pay for all this.

When Rudd was flying around the world, how much did he spend on
a hotel room? Was he flying first class?

You may be on a great salary but many Australians are not and it is
plenty of hardworking and poorly paid Australians who are paying for
all this lavish living, renamed foreign aid

Great article Jo - well said. I don't have the details but I hope family planning hasn't been cut. If you want to see something that really works, direct aid money to organisations like Marie Stopes International that provides reproductive health services including contraception. Stablising population through health services for women is critically important.

*direct aid money to organisations like Marie Stopes International that provides reproductive health services including contraception*

Gawd, the Catholic lobbyists would have a fit, if we did that
and Harradine made sure that it would not happen. You seem to be
confused, as to how our so called development aid is spent.