Australia: a compassionate country?

By Catherine Hoffman
Editor & Communications Officer

Posted Nov 16, 2015 in Culture

He has told you, O mortal, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God? – Micah 6:8

Australian aid, previously known as foreign aid, has done an immense amount of good for vulnerable people around the world and for Australia’s reputation as a trading partner.

In 2014 alone, aid supplied by Australians:

• Helped get 1.3 million more children into school.
• Built more than 9,000 new classrooms.
• Trained over 100,000 teachers.
• Equipped more than 400,000 farmers with better technology.
• Vaccinated more than 2.3 million children.
• Supplied 2.9 million people with access to drinking water.
• Ensured nearly 1 million more mothers had access to a skilled birth attendant.
• Increased access to basic sanitation for over 1 million people.
• Provided critical services for more than 66,000 women who have survived violence.
• Responded to emergencies in 24 countries including Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines and flooding in Solomon Islands.

Australian aid makes a real difference in the lives of many – and it looked set to do so for quite a lot longer.

In 2013, after considerable lobbying by the Uniting Church and its partners, then-Prime Minister Julia Gillard committed to doubling Australian aid by 2018 by committing 0.5% of Australia’s Gross National Income (GNI). In December 2014, however, the Abbott government announced a significant reduction to the aid budget.

In its Mid-Year Economic and Fiscal Outlook, the Abbott government announced savings of $3.7 billion over the next four years due to these cuts. The Australian aid budget has now fallen to $4 billion – that’s $1.6 billion less than its peak in 2012-2013. By 2018, Australia is expected to be committing just over 0.2% GNI on aid – well below the United Nations’ recommendation of 0.7%.

The Uniting Church in South Australia has often demonstrated how highly it values helping others, particularly through international mission projects and support of the United Nations’ Millennium Development Goals (2000-2015).

“As Christians, we are called to love our neighbour and to care for God’s creation – including the humans God regards as most precious,” says Adrian Nippress, Uniting Church SA International Mission Officer and Transforming Justice Coordinator.

“It is our Christian duty to be compassionate, share our wealth and care for the poor.  The Bible regularly calls us to be obligated to caring for the needs of the poor from the early chapters in the Old Testament, a constant theme raised by the Prophets and an essential part of the teachings of the Gospel.”

Earlier this year, the Uniting Church SA announced its support of the Australian Aid campaign, which aims to encourage members of the government to increase Australia’s aid commitments and to assist in meeting the United Nations’ new Global Goals.

“They take a three-pronged approach to this,” says Adrian. “They’re calling on the government to restore the Australian aid budget, work with purpose in areas where aid can have the largest impact, and commit to being purposeful and accountable in regards to aid.”

There are many ways that congregations and individuals within the Uniting Church SA community can assist with this campaign – and help to make a real difference in the lives of many – raising awareness by talking to others is the essential starting point.

More information about how to engage can be found on the Australian Aid campaign website at australianaid.org or by contacting Adrian on Turn on Javascript! or 8236 4203.

As the Uniting Church SA engages further with this campaign, more news will be shared through New Times, UC e-News and online.

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