Caritas Exhibition opening – Blueprint for a better world: the millennium development goals and you
Old Parliament House, Canberra
22nd July 2010
I acknowledge the traditional owners of the land on which we are gathered.
Senator Gary Humphries
Archbishop Mark Benedict Coleridge, Archbishop of Canberra and Goulburn
Helen Forde, Community Engagement Manager, Caritas Australia
Jenny Anderson, Director, Museum of Australian Democracy
Dr Ingvar Anda, Program Coordinator, Humanitarian and Emergencies Response Team, Caritas Australia
Brendan Smyth, leader of the Opposition in the ACT Assembl
Distinguished guests
It is my pleasure to participate in the opening of this important exhibition. I congratulate Caritas for the work it does to improve social justice in the world, here in our community and globally.
I will comment today on the investment the Australian Government has made on behalf of the citizens of Australia in overseas aid and in reference to the Millenium Development goals.
But first, allow me to give a little background.. In 2000, Australia joined 189 countries in committing to the Millennium Development Goals. These goals aim to halve extreme poverty by 2015 and end it by 2025.
They are a bold statement of the change we want to achieve in the first quarter of the 21st century and provide a practical and measurable score sheet against which we can track our successes and our shortcomings.
The goals require action in both the developed and developing world. They require new thinking and new technology. Most importantly they require the political and social will to see them through.
We can’t afford to underestimate the task ahead, with 900 million people around the world sleeping hungry tonight.
We know that 25,000 children will die today from preventable diseases. Tomorrow 1.4billion people will be forced to survive on less than US$1.25 for the day – more than two-thirds of them women and children.
It is also important not overlook the real progress we have made.
In the last 25 years we have seen 500 million fewer people living in poverty despite rapid growth in global population.
Real incomes in the developing world have more than doubled.
Child mortality has halved and life expectancy has increased by more than five years. In the last decade deaths from measles in Africa have fallen by 90%.
The number of children in developing countries out of school has dropped by 28 million. Overall, I am pleased to see girls now have the same participation rate in primary and secondary schooling as boys.
There has also been a seven per cent rise in the percentage of women in the world’s parliaments.
However, while the global recession has hampered our progress toward the MDGs but we should not let it weaken our community and national commitment to them. It is imperative that we do everything in our power to stop those countries we have done so much for from sliding back into poverty.
It is imperative that we ensure the health and wellbeing of women, children and the disabled continues to improve. It is imperative the countries of the developed world continue to embrace the shared challenge of reducing global poverty while confronting the shared burden of global recession.
The Federal Labor Government will deliver on its election promise to boost Australia’s commitment to Official Development Assistance (ODA) funding to 0.5 per cent of Gross National Income (GNI) by 2015-16.
Australia’s ODA/GNI ratio is forecast to increase to 0.33 per cent over the coming financial year and reach 0.42 per cent in 2013-14.
In dollar terms this means since we came to government, we have invested in 2008-09 $3,799.5m, 2009-10 $ 3,820.9m and the forward estimates for 2010-11 are for $4,349.3 m.
This money will be used to help developing countries improve the delivery of basic services, particularly education and health. Our largest programs are Indonesia and Papua New Guinea. We have a geographic spread to E Asia, S Asia, W Asia, Pacific, Latin America and Africa.
The Government’s commitment to ODA ensures that Australia is doing its bit to help developing countries achieve the global Millennium Development Goals by 2015.
In conclusion, I would like to say a little about climate change.
It is in Australia’s national interest to support developing countries in their transition to lower carbon economies, including through participation in emerging carbon markets, and to help developing countries build resilience to climate change.
Country programs will focus on reducing deforestation and forest degradation in Indonesia and Papua New Guinea and adapting to climate change in East Timor, the Pacific and the Mekong region.
In 2010–11 funding will continue to build on existing programs as part of our commitment to provide international climate change financing to assist developing countries.
The International Forest Carbon Initiative will receive $56.0 million over two years to 2012-13 to assist developing countries reduce emissions from deforestation and forest degradation.
The International Climate Change Adaptation Initiative will receive $178.2 million over two years to 2012-13 to help the most vulnerable countries adapt to impacts climate change.
The Climate Change Partnerships for Development budget measure will receive $15.0 million over two years to 2012-13 to support developing countries in their response to the challenges of climate change.
To assist countries transition to lower carbon economies and address the impacts of climate change, $106.2 million over three years, including $5 million in 2009-10, will support multilateral mechanisms, such as the World Bank’s Climate Investment Funds.
Thankyou for the privilege of having me hear today and once again, congratulations to all of your for your ongoing commitment to achieving the Millennium Development Goals.
