Indonesia shouldn't get one cent of Australian taxpayers' money.
is Mise,
Agree but neither should the many useless bureaucrats here!

Indy,

I asked you to put up your experience of people of the Pacific as it related to aid programs, government or private it don't matter. You failed to deliver on that, I think because you don't have a clue. I see you as some old bloke in retirement somewhere up a tree in sunny Queensland, who will go to his grave sour on the world, hating his fellow man, and thinking he's been hard done by. BTW I'm 65, again you know nothing.

Belly,

Even though we are both on the same side of the political fence, it is impossible for me to defend Indonesian aggression against the people of East Timor and West New Guinea. Australia's repose from both Labor and the Coalition governments has been weak kneed, and frankly pathetic. Those people subjected to Indonesian brutality deserved much better from Australia, and the rest of the world.

Issy,

As for using aid as a weapon against Governments, that seems only to hurt the people the aid is intended for, and not the decision makers within the government of that particular country. I want Australia's aid program substantially increased in dollar terms. I want it focused on the Islands of the Pacific where I see a great need, I don't want that to be at the expense of others, but as an overall increase.

Foxy,

To put the cat among the pigeons. I want to see Australia's 'War Budget' turned into a real 'Defence Budget' which would free up billions for fair dinkum humanitarian purposes, both at home and abroad.

Paul1405,
I can't recall stating that I have been on Pacific islands however,I know quite a number who live here & who are now portraying themselves as indigenous. Some, whose grandparents came here are actually deemed indigenous as they have intermarried here.
I recall being in the State Archives being shown ledgers of Samoans making application to work on the Qld cane fields. There was one in about 1875 who came here eight times illegally & was deported eight times. Upon the ninth time he was actually granted permission to stay. I have tried to get a copy but the file mysteriously vanished in the 1980's. Other files could not be found due to shortage of staff. I found that many files weren't available to normal people but freely offered to academic historians. I was shown a sketch by a part Samoan & where it was held but when I enquired about getting a coppy I was told no such sketch ever existed. When I told the female on the phone exactly where the sketch was stored I was rudely cut off & dismissed by being told "how would you know ?"
Going back to foreign aid, there are accounts aplenty of aid money not reaching the people it was intended for hence my suggestion of aid should only come in the form of utensiles & food.

Paul my postin no way supports that country cruel behavior in a part of another country, not ever its own, however I am sticking to the subject we use aid to that country, SADLY in our own interests not for humanity's sake,aid is self defense but it must never ever be subject to our moral view about who should and should not live, humanity is best served by helping others always

Well what do you know.

Paul wants to give away more of someone else's money.

What a surprise.

Hassy, showing your sour old greedy conservatism again. Another old bloke who is down on the world. Your attitude is to help no one, too miserable to even help yourself.