On Friday, Voxy reported:
This is despite Murray McCully making assurances in 2009 that foreign aid would not be cut further. While serious food shortages continue around the world with approximately 15 million children dying of hunger per year, National's callous cuts to the ODA budget are allowing people to die.
As Minster of Foreign Affairs, McCully has blood on his hands and should hang his head in shame. Disregarding our international obligations is an insult to the generous nature of Kiwi's that has made this country great. But thanks to National, we can no longer feel proud and New Zealand has become an international disgrace!
National does not represent the good people of New Zealand.
The New Zealand Government has reneged on aid commitments to the world's poorest people, by cutting $133 million from its Overseas Development Assistance (ODA) budget over the next three years.
In 2000 New Zealand stood shoulder to shoulder with 188 other world leaders to commit to the Millennium Development Goals, a 15-year global plan to tackle poverty. As part of this commitment, we agreed to increase aid spending to 0.7% of Gross National Income. Yesterday's budget cuts will see New Zealand's commitment fall to 0.24% by 2014-15 - way behind other OECD countries.
Dennis McKinlay, Executive Director at UNICEF NZ, said, "As we approach the 2015 deadline for the Millennium Development Goals, New Zealand should be increasing aid not delivering a budget surplus on the backs of the world's poorest people.
"New Zealanders are amongst the most generous individual givers in the world - our government needs to reflect the attitudes of Kiwis in its aid policy. We can't ignore that 75% of the world's poorest people live in our Asia-Pacific neighbourhood. Food insecurity, climate change, natural disasters and the impact of a fragile global economy are all taking their toll on the world's poor. There could not be a worse time to turn our backs on those who need us most.
This is despite Murray McCully making assurances in 2009 that foreign aid would not be cut further. While serious food shortages continue around the world with approximately 15 million children dying of hunger per year, National's callous cuts to the ODA budget are allowing people to die.As Minster of Foreign Affairs, McCully has blood on his hands and should hang his head in shame. Disregarding our international obligations is an insult to the generous nature of Kiwi's that has made this country great. But thanks to National, we can no longer feel proud and New Zealand has become an international disgrace!
National does not represent the good people of New Zealand.
