And this is the problem OUG, most jobs today are feeding off the tits of the tax payer.

Take mining away and look out!

rehctub
This is really about Aid, which does not mean of course it is off limits for discussion. There has been enough evidence of wasted funding in the Aid budget just as any other. It all rests on how the money is managed at the other end, how many palms need to be oiled, how much is politics rather than Aid money etc. The Aid arena is fraught with many criticisms including the tendency for it to prop up dubious governments in some regions (separate issue to the opening topic).

However my problem with this particular subject is that it is using Western-centric gender divides as the 'rule of thumb'. It just is not possible to judge on our own biases and political landscape as regards gender issues.

Pelican,
You are right, the issue of DV in the pacific Islands is cultural.

Why should we spend large amounts of money in effort to alter cultural practices in other countries. In the articles section, of OLO, there is a thread dealing with the rape of lesbians in Africa, which is also a cultural issue. should we spend money to eliminate FGM in other countries or incest, forced marriages or honour killings.
Other countries have different cultural standards than we do. We are supposed to be culturally tolerant, even here.

It is one thing to help neighbouring countries become more self sustained economicly, but to interfere on cultural issues is very questionable.

We can spend our tax money how we like in Aus. On the queestion of DV, I do wonder how much we spend here in Aus.