Fair, egalitarian and generous. Yes, we were the nation that lead on issues of women’s equality and a fair minium wage.

What happened?

Tim it helps to hear you say;

a) “Australians understand that while we are an island nation we cannot ignore the fact we are global citizens.” And,

b) Australians understand that we cannot win a war on terrorism unless we wage a war against poverty.

That is the real war to fight I believe.

Why?

We know that anywhere where there is socio-economic failure there is poverty, agitation and various forms of discontent.

It is the struggle of the poorest people in Australia as well as in other regions of the world that are prone most vulnerable to the struggle against all forms of anger, violence and terror.

Without building socio-economic solutions and a proper supportive infrastructure, it is obvious how neglect and alienation can become a key factor harbouring cultures of crime - hence leaving entire suburbs open as recruiting grounds for terrorists and their ideology of hate.

Too often parents in disadvantaged communities are deprived of the hope that their children will be educated or even receive adequate healthcare.

On the human issue of “poverty”, it is so difficult when it is our own governments failure to understand and act.

We all need to work harder to learn, encourage, educate and moblise good strategies against the moral failure in our nation.

Wait a minute Tim, aren't you the Federal Treasurer's brother? Don't talk to us, talk to him.

You play this emotional blackmail, yet you admit that the Australian people are some of the most generous in the world. Its just the Government Treasurer who is the problem: your brother!

And for God's sake who has a second car? I can't think of anyone who has a second car. Who has a holiday house? I only thought they had those in Hollywood. Who lives in an ivory tower Tim? We are supposed to feal guilty?

Life is good to you Tim. The rest of us are not that "lucky". Being smart doesn't help in this country either. They pay cashiers in Woolworths better than they pay scientists in Australia. Is that smart?

What kind of money does the Baptist Church pay you?

As for finding alternative fuels, it will take more intelligence than money. The initial outlay for, say, solar thermal power stations could be expensive. So could more windmills and research into Thorium or Fusion Energy. In the long term, however, like the Snow Mountain Scheme, they are a good investment.

The sun is free, clean and plentiful. It is also the fastest alternative to build: we could be solar by 2010, you can build them like lego sets. They are in California, Spain and Portugal. We have more sun here.

We are in a sunburnt country not a lucky country. It was a sarcastic statement by the author of "the Lucky Country" rather than a criptic comment.

If we become a smart country then we stop listening to old boof-head, your brother, that helped get us into this mess. You can't pick your relatives Tim, but you do have influence over them as they do over you.

Tim stop trying to pass the buck.Its not our moral failure,its your moral failure. Get your corporate head out of the clouds.You are well aware that at least 50% of our foreign aid is tied and finds its way back to Australian suppliers and contractors.
A percentage of major project aid disapears in facilitation payments and bribes.
Major aid organisations are good at coping with emergencies and disasters and not so good at the grass roots.Major aid organisations are corporate and often or mostly compete with each other.A lot of our money is spent on positioning and lobbying government and other organisations for money and for preferred treament with respect to sexy projects which it is felt will raise profiles and thereby ensure funding for other high status projects. Catch 22.
In my experience in Pakistan, Afghanistan,Sri Lanka and South Africa
projects that worked best were those that empowered local communities. I set up the first Australian aid projects in Soweto and other SAfrican townships in 1977.
But no amount of aid money can overcome the power of a represive regime. So aid money spent on the indigenous population of WPapua is a band aid unless and until the Javanese elite and the TNI either
change their methods of control or withdraw. And for that to happen the UN and Australia must apply pressure other wise aid just remains
part of the problem.
Bruce Haigh

Jacks summed it up with the Ethopia example.The more we give in aid,the more the problem worsens.Contraception would be a better solution than just more propergation.

Further more Tim, British,US,French and Australian aid organisations,amongst others,have been prepared to host and provide cover for intelligence operatives and for intelligence activities.From time to time, and for some a lot of the time, they have been partisan,they have decided in conjunction with major donors and or their home government who were the goodies and the badies and delivered aid accordingly.
The morality of aid delivery is far more complex, compromised and ugly than either you understand or are prepared to admit.
Within Australia there is a growing failure to deliver to those without significant resources in health,education and housing.In the central west of nsw where I live the drying up of social capital is palpable. This government is causing spirituality and humanity to wither on the vine. People inside themselves are sad.Jingoism will not and cannot replace compassion.
You should be ashamed of yourself; you could have provided moral and spiritual leadership at a time of great darkness in Australia, instead you have talked about our moral failure in not providing money to Corporate Aid.
The single biggest moral failure over the past 11 years has been the gross ill treatment and demonisation of asylum seekers arriving by boat.I would have thought you might have sought,as the head of World Vision,to take a position that would have held a mirror up to the government so that they could see the tragedy that they were presiding over and we could see that you were fair dinkum and not a corporate wolf in lambs clothing.
PS The government new all about and encouraged the AWB in its activities in Iraq,we debated this. How much of WV aid is lost to bribes and facilitation payments in Indonesia, 10%,20% or more? How much do you budget for?
Bruce Haigh

Bruce Haigh

The difficulty with addressing poverty is that it entails the distribution - or redistribution - of wealth. So called poorer nations simply are making a hash of organising themselves to ensure that in general terms what they do have is shared in such a way that no-one misses out. Very few nations are so asset or income poor that their populations should not aspire to live reasonably comfortable and satisfying lives. Where it all seems to go wrong is in the emergence of governments ill equipped or not interested in population welfare - and the rise to power of individuals intent on nepotism and corruption as tools for survival. Then there is the total lack of a means of conducting international business in such a way that the free market in which we all believe so passionately can deliver fairness and balance rather than opportunistic greed .... Oh well, in the case of market failure we can all rely on welfare. Except there is no international government to dispense it, and no reliable supply side. So we have to smile and appeal to generous individuals to contribute personally to (band)aid efforts of last resort, or support governments looking for cudos or cunning advantage by running "Aid" programs that nearly always oblige recipients in some way. It doesn't matter how generous Australians are ..... we could all give all we have and it wouldn't make enough difference! And where have I heard that kind of idea before? Oh yes, in the Global Warming debate ...