Millennium Development Goals (MDG)

Save and expand foreign aid

Blog Post | Blog of Sarah Hanson-Young
Tuesday 19th July 2011, 10:21am
by ParisLord in

This month the world is learning about the ongoing famine in the Horn of Africa, where about 12 million people have been hit by the worst drought in almost 60 years. Australia has pledged more than $11 million in aid. It's heart-wrenching to see malnourished children in refugee camps in Kenya with tubes in their noses to feed them because their hungry mothers cannot.

Millennium Development Goals review summit

Estimates Transcripts | Spokesperson Scott Ludlam
Wednesday 20th October 2010, 12:02pm
in

AusAID
Monday 18 October 2010

Senator LUDLAM-I need to submit a couple of questions quickly on behalf of my colleague Senator Hanson-Young around commitments undertaken at the recent Millennium Development Goals review summit. Do I have the right folk here?

Mr Baxter-Yes.

Senator LUDLAM-Great. Can AusAID first provide a breakdown or any further information at all on the makeup of the $1.6 billion announced for maternal, newborn and child health at the recent MDG review summit? From an Australian point of view, is this new funding or was it part of Australia's ongoing core funding commitment to health?

Greens make overseas aid an election issue

Media Release | Spokesperson Bob Brown
Friday 13th August 2010, 11:46am
in

Lift aid to Pakistan flood victims

Australian Greens Bob Brown has moved overseas aid onto the election agenda, calling for four key measures:

  1. Australia's aid budget to meet the United Nation's goal of 0.7% of Gross National Income (GNI) - to reach this goal by 2012 would require an effective boost of an average $2.8 billion per year. Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Luxembourg and The Netherlands have already met this goal. The UK is on track to meet the target by 2013. This is enshrined in UK legislation, something Australia should consider.
  2. To target aid to women in poverty, to help reduce the maternal death toll of 34,000 and under 5 child mortality of nearly 400 000 per year in our neighbouring countries
  3. To establish in Australia a regional disaster coordination centre to streamline rapid responses to disasters such as tsunamis, earthquakes, fires, floods and landslides.
  4. For Australia to urgently increase aid to the huge flood disaster in Pakistan. More than 14 million people are affected. To date Australia has donated $10 million.

Greens Want Australia To Act As A Good Neighbour In The Pacific Region

Media Release | Spokesperson Sarah Hanson-Young
Thursday 5th August 2010, 12:30pm
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Australia needs to live up to its responsibilities in the Pacific Region by acting as a good neighbour to other countries according to Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young.


Senator Hanson-Young, Greens spokesperson for Human Rights, says the Greens have a comprehensive plan for Australia to play a proper role in the region and help improve health, educational and humanitarian outcomes in developing countries.


"Australia is one of the wealthiest and most stable countries in the Pacific region,'' Senator Hanson-Young said.

Australia must act to protect region’s mothers

Media Release | Spokesperson Sarah Hanson-Young
Tuesday 22nd September 2009, 9:24am
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Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young says the Australian Government can no longer ignore the fact that women are dying on our doorstep in horrific numbers while giving life.

This week the New Zealand Parliamentarians’ Group on Population and Development’s Open Hearing on Maternal Health in the Pacific has heard evidence that Papua New Guinea has the worst rate of maternal death in the Pacific, a situation which has worsened in the last decade.

“Papua New Guinea has the second worst maternal mortality rates in the world – it’s in our backyard and we can’t ignore it,” said Senator Hanson-Young, who is the Australian Parliamentary Group for Population and Development’s representative at the hearing.

A Different World - Speech to the National Press Club

Speech | Spokesperson Christine Milne
Wednesday 17th June 2009, 2:13pm
in

Thank you for your warm welcome. I begin by acknowledging the Ngunnawal people, the traditional owners of the land.

Gandhi once said, "The difference between what we do and what we are capable of doing would suffice to solve most of the world's problems."

We have reached a point in human history where 'what we do' on this planet imperils our survival. Now is the moment to re-imagine and reconsider 'what we are capable of doing'.

As Kofi Annan said recently, "The world is at a crossroads. [The Copenhagen] negotiators [must] come to the most ambitious agreement ever negotiated or continue to accept mass starvation, mass sickness and mass migration on an ever growing scale. Weak leadership," he said, "is failing humanity."

So what is stopping us from achieving what we are capable of, of reaching 'the most ambitious agreement ever negotiated'?

Govt must boost aid to prevent maternal deaths

Media Release | Spokesperson Sarah Hanson-Young
Sunday 10th May 2009, 6:30am
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Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young says maternal and child health in the Asia-Pacific region must not be forgotten this Mother’s Day, calling on the Federal Government to confirm its commitment to the Millennium Development Goals in its impending Budget.

The global financial crisis has been predicted to hit developing countries most severely, heightening the need for wealthier countries to maintain or increase their aid funding.

“This Mother’s Day, we should acknowledge that Australian mums are relatively well off when it comes to maternal and child health,” said Senator Hanson-Young.

AusAID restrictions must not be subject to ministerial whim

Media Release | Spokesperson Sarah Hanson-Young
Tuesday 10th March 2009, 2:58pm
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Senator Sarah Hanson-Young says that restrictions that were lifted today on AusAID funding for family planning programs must never again be able to be reinstated by the minister of the day.

Foreign Minister Stephen Smith this morning announced that the Family Planning Guidelines would be revised, lifting restrictions on Australian foreign aid going to some family planning services that had been in place since a 1996 deal between former Senator Brian Harradine and Prime Minister John Howard.

“The Greens welcome the lifting of these restrictions, as this move will save lives,” said Senator Hanson-Young.

Greens to move amendment in law to ensure AusAID ban lifted

Media Release | Spokesperson Sarah Hanson-Young
Wednesday 4th March 2009, 6:35am
in

Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young has announced the Greens will move a legislative amendment to ensure the restrictions on AusAID funding for family planning services are lifted, if the Government does not do so by the next session of parliament.

Foreign Affairs Minister Stephen Smith yesterday said that he expected to make an announcement on the restrictions in the “very near future”.

“While the Greens are encouraged to hear that a decision is imminent, the fact is that this Government has had more than twelve months to overturn these archaic and dangerous restrictions, with no action thus far,” said Senator Hanson-Young.