'"...The rule is, for all intents and purposes, the
same in all cultures. It simply asks that we put
ourselves in a position of the poorest of the poor,
the weakest of the weak, the sickest of the sick and do
unto others as we would want done unto us." '

true foxy but why do we need Government to do this. There is nothing stopping u or i or anyone else from doing this. Governments seem to find it very easy to be generous with other people's money.

Currently we are borrowing money to give it away. If you want to help poor people, give them an education and women the power to control their fertility.

Also give poor countries the power to create their own money and tell the World Bank to get stuffed.

Dear runner,

I do give as much as I can.
As I'm sure you do and so do many other people
in this country. However, our donations valuable
as they are, can't be equated with the larger
amount that our government is capable on giving
on our behalf as well. Therefore, if our government
is prepared to increase and spend in other areas,
that perhaps are not as dire,
then they can also continue to spend in an area that
will potentially save human lives - especially those
of children. I'm willing to have my taxes go
towards this end.

We give aid to Indonesia, seeing the size of their armed forces is it justified ?
Bazz,
Australia should do a deal with Indonesia & pay for having their Police stir up the show here.
No pussy-footing easy way out pick on the vulnerable kind of policing. Go in & deal with the mongrels like they do in Indonesia. They don't have crime like we have here simply because they do what their position title says, they police.

Foreign aid should be a good thing but too often it is distributed in an inefficient manner, oft times for political purposes and occasionally falls into the wrong hands and does not end up where it should.
Do we cease providing aid to the many in need because of the light fingered and selfish proclivity of a few is a good question. What price a childs life ? I leave that for wiser heads than mine.
I make an annual donation to Medicins Sans Frontieres and a couple of organisations closer to home. I realise I cannot save the world and I have to take a chance that some good will come out of my donations but if I can do my little bit toward helping others less fortunate I am sure my country can as well.

SD

Shaggy Dog I like3 all of that post and would like to agree with every word.
But I can not, in truth the world has to change before aid is made the best use of every time.
Lets face it in my view Labor gives too much Liberals, not out of spite, take too much.
Every Tom Dick and Harry is asking for money so they can help the true needy.
We threw money at the Music industry's massive aid to the starving in Africa and needed to do just that to a lessor degree ten years on.
Linked to the millions of refugees world wide, never ignore that link, we need to change the way we do things.
It always and under any government, is easy to say cuts are a crime.
But if we look the world its governments at least, have recently cut aid.
The UN seems unable to truly lead in the matter of aid getting to the right people and making life better for millions fleeing to the west in search of a better life.