Govt broke promise on poverty: Caritas

from Yahoo News

The Catholic Church's aid arm Caritas has accused the federal government of not delivering on a promise to increase overseas aid to combat extreme poverty.

It follows similar calls by World Vision chief executive Tim Costello, brother of federal Treasurer Peter Costello, who last week backed Labor's pledge to boost foreign aid to 0.5 per cent of gross domestic product (GDP) by 2015/16, up from 0.35 per cent in 2010/11.

The chief executive of Caritas Australia, Jack de Groot, said the major parties had not lived up to a commitment, signed by the Australian government in 2000, to realise the millennium development goal to halve extreme poverty by 2015.

Millennium development goals are contained in the Millennium Declaration adopted by 189 nations, including Australia, during the UN Millennium Summit in September 2000.

"There is a moral imperative to come good on the promise our leaders have made," Mr de Groot said.

"This vow to the world's poor demands Australia to not only increase its aid to 0.7 per cent of GNI (gross national income, broadly similar to GDP) but to make sure that our aid is complemented by fair trade agreements that meet the needs of the world's most vulnerable communities."

After 10 years of successive budget surpluses, a denial of Australia's commitment to the world's poorest and most vulnerable communities was unacceptable, Mr de Groot said.

Catholic bishops had articulated a commitment to act in the interest of people who did not share the same prosperity and security as Australia, he said.

World Vision says Labor's policy of boosting foreign aid to 0.5 per cent of GDP could help save the lives of up to 140,000 children living in poverty in the region.

The coalition is so far refusing to match the Labor pledge.