We should first realise its not that we need to simply throw more money at the problem. Countries where poverty is rife are usually run by dictators or military juntas and democracy does not exist. If a form of democracy does prevail, such as in countries like India, corruption diverts money from the poor. Preventing poverty is about renewing the leadership of these countries and getting strong democracies and low levels of corruption not just handing out our cash to places where it will be wasted or used on arming the military.

One glaring omission .

No mention of the corner stone of poverty reduction, which is family planning.

Not only does this condemn countries to remain poverty stricken, it also means massive habitat loss due to the plague proportions of our selfish, greedy species and the environmental illiteracy of the major religions .

Best,

Ralph

...All the above is honourable but is to be tempered by circumstances at home. The effects on alleviation of world poverty by illegal queue jumpers arriving by boat on the shores of Australia is interesting: Do these “illegals” highlight the universal nature of human greed and naked ambition of those we are attempting to save with our overseas aid; and our notional acceptance of “anything goes” in Australia’s’ generous attempts to help the underprivileged in foreign lands?

...And what factor should apply to the exodus of Australian industries to Asia, which includes the work for Australians these enterprises once provided, an Asia which now “bulges” with middle-class? And the investment made by our society in lack of opportunities this exodus has created for our own young to gain worthwhile employment and a place in society fitting of them, and rewarded them further with poverty and homelessness as the new fashion: And the consequences of this exodus of Industry towards a permanent futureless welfare “Underclass” in Australia; What of that?

...There are two very succinct words that describe foreign-aid, the first begins with “F” and the second “O”

A good article and a reminder that not all is doom and gloom. The reduction in world poverty has been one of the highlights (amongst many lows) of the latter half of the 20th C. The fall in population across developing Asia and Europe and the introduction of education programs in SE Asia has driven up literacy and the ability of women to make sound family planning choices.

This has not been the case in Africa and its where a more long term committed foreign aid investment needs to be made.

One poster worried about boat arrivals. You ain't seen nothing yet.

Cheryl - Quote "One poster worried about boat arrivals. You ain't seen nothing yet."

OH so right we just had a period of one week in which over 1,000 arrived and it was still in the monsoon period.

Also a boat was intercepted near the Ashmore Islands with 84 people on board 25 of them had to be airlifted to Australia with more than a dozen of them in need of medical treatment. Just what we need we have welfare for lifers now we are potentially getting medical patients for life.
If you are an Australian citizen in need of medical attention while overseas the Australian Government would not charter a plane for you as it does for the refugees.
Months ago a big plane was chartered to fly one refugee to Australia from Christmas Island.

Absolutely agree with the sentiments of the Author. But for very different and, I believe, thoroughly more pragmatic reasons.
You see, there are just too many of us, and we can no longer rely on a population growth model, to continue to make far too few of us rich!
Simply put, alleviating poverty, wherever we find it, is just sound economics and practical common sense.
That then progressively creates and creates; more and more customers, for all those that desire wealth.
We need to focus on self help schemes that will snowball and continue to work; and alleviate regional poverty, long after the aid dollar has dried up.
We can also use it to selectively reward genuine democratic outcomes!
We also need to ensure that our remaining aid dollars are directed primarily at gender equality education outcomes, and micro loans!
Just this much will allow our aid dollars to do 7 times as much poverty alleviating work as they do now, by simply allowing them to pass through many more small trade and commerce hands, than is the current case!
We might assist by training some of or less advantaged neighbours, how to better market what they do can make.
Small local energy production projects, will allow womenfolk to be relieved of counter-productive, time consuming chores, like carrying all the water/chopping collecting firewood.
Small biogas projects, can be used to replace wood or fossil fuel fires; or, even power a modest garden tractor, which can also double as a means to transport trade goods and people, to nearby markets.
As hard as it is, we need to stop handing aid dollars to despots, who then use them to buy bullets, to further enslave and disadvantage their own people? The already starving cannot eat ammunition, so are hardly likely to be worse off?
Rhrosty.