You thought our aid budget was spent helping poor people overseas? Ha ha ha ha ha ha. Under new rules announced in 2009, Ausaid can now fund education and awareness campaigns in Australia. Labor-friendly organisations are big winners from the $1.3 million handed out so far. The ACTU has collected $147,000 for a campaign to educate workers on the Rudd Government’s international development aid program. Another $150,000 has gone to the Oaktree Foundation, founded by former young Australian of the Year Hugh Evans, for 1000 young people to travel the country educating the public about poverty alleviation and the UN’s Millennium Development Goals. The foundation was part of the 2007 Make Poverty History campaign and during that year’s election Mr Evans said it was planning a “full-scale” campaign urging people to support Labor’s position on foreign aid. Other winners include a program to bring Australian and Afghani youth together via the internet for an arts project showing they understand poverty and a rickshaw ride for 400 from Queensland to Tasmania. Under the new rules, 10 per cent of Ausaid’s Australian NGO Co-operation Program’s budget can be spent in Australia on awareness campaigns. “Awareness campaigns” is what they call this propaganda and sponsor-my-fun now. Contemptible. Utterly contemptible. UPDATE Reader Boy on a Bike says your aid dollars are indeed lifting some people out of poverty: AusAID - have a look at their annual report, in particular TABLE 10: AUSAID SES EMPLOYEE SALARY RANGE, 30 JUNE 2009. $205 000-$219 999 - one employee $175 000-$189 999 - two staff $160 000-$174 999 - four staff $175 000-$189 999 - one person $160 000-$174 999 - one person $145 000-$159 999 - three staff $130 000-$144 999 - 22 staff Average Australian income - around $50,000. Yes, lots of AusAID staff have certainly been lifted out of poverty. |
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