9 February 2006
WHY DO WE REALLY GIVE AID?
Australia's aid objective is "to advance Australia’s national interest through the alleviation of poverty and the promotion of sustainable development". Such an objective raises an important ethical issue: does Australia provide aid when it is not considered to be in our own interest? This was the question posed by Tim O'Connor of Aidwatch in a recent article which appeared in the national daily newspaper The Australian
The article points out that contrary to popular belief, most Australian Government Aid is delivered through private companies operating for profit rather than through non-government charitable organizations.
The article goes on to explain that whilst traditionally aid has been directed to infrastructure projects such as better roads, bridges etc or to assist in the provision of health and education services, more recently aid has targeted 'better governance' projects aimed at strengthening government institutions (36% of the current Australian aid budget is aimed at economic and political reform) including things such as the building and administration of prisons.
That Australia's aid is less concerned with alleviating poverty and promoting sustainable development and more concerned with advancing the political agenda of the government can be argued from the fact that the money to build and maintain offshore detention centres in places such as Nauru and Manus island came from Australia's Aid budget!
For information and discussion of many aspects of Australia's Aid program visit the AIDWATCH website
The article points out that contrary to popular belief, most Australian Government Aid is delivered through private companies operating for profit rather than through non-government charitable organizations.
The article goes on to explain that whilst traditionally aid has been directed to infrastructure projects such as better roads, bridges etc or to assist in the provision of health and education services, more recently aid has targeted 'better governance' projects aimed at strengthening government institutions (36% of the current Australian aid budget is aimed at economic and political reform) including things such as the building and administration of prisons.
That Australia's aid is less concerned with alleviating poverty and promoting sustainable development and more concerned with advancing the political agenda of the government can be argued from the fact that the money to build and maintain offshore detention centres in places such as Nauru and Manus island came from Australia's Aid budget!
For information and discussion of many aspects of Australia's Aid program visit the AIDWATCH website
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