Jim Anderton's Budget 2010 speech
20/05/10 16:49 Filed in: Speeches
What is this government saying to families on low incomes in today’s budget?
Let them eat cake!
It says ‘don’t worry about an increase in GST and rising food prices, because the rich eat more than the poor, so they’ll pay more in GST.’
Is that meant to make low income families feel better?
You might not be able to afford to buy much food - but just think of the GST you’re saving when you don’t eat?
The rich have a choice if they want to spend more money and pay more GST. They can choose whether to upgrade the Mercedes or buy another boat. Those on lower incomes can’t choose whether or not to eat.
What is John Key saying to New Zealand families struggling to pay the bills and make ends meet on low incomes? Stop being envious.
Well they won’t be envious Mr Key, they’ll be angry - like I am.
Are New Zealand families more or less equal after this budget?
They are less equal - and shame on the Prime Minister. After today’s budget the most wealthy New Zealanders will take home thousands of extra dollars per week compared to those on average incomes.
People like Telecom’s CEO who earned $7 million last year will get a tax cut of $6,608 per week. State sector CEO’s who earn more than $600,000 in some cases, will get a tax cut of nearly $500 per week.
If you’re earning $50,000 after you pay more in GST at the supermarket, you’ll only take home $5 per week. And the chances are - that will be wiped out by inflation anyway!
Is a CEO who got a thousand dollar a week pay rise last year, really the highest priority for a seven hundred dollar a week tax cut this year?
New Zealand is now on a par with the UK which has one of the most entrenched income gaps between rich and poor.
Our ancestors came to this country to get away from that inequality! John Key is determined to bring it back with him from his years speculating overseas.
Others might be taken in by the Prime Minister’s ‘rags to riches’ story. Not me.
I remember he helped people make a pot of money speculating against the New Zealand dollar in the 1980s, at a cost to New Zealand of $700 million. Guess what? At the same time, New Zealand’s increasing rate of income inequality became one of the worst in the OECD.
Over the same period, Australia closed the gap between rich and poor. Income inequality widened again under National governments in the 1990s. And it started to get better during the period of a Labour-led government in 1999-2008.
Mr Key mis-led the House yesterday when he said - and I quote - “income gaps between rich and poor...became worse under the previous Labour Government".
No Mr Key! It became better, and is set to become worse again under this National government. (And today I’ll table the facts to prove it.)
Here they are. Under a Labour-Progressive government between 2001 and 2008 everyone became richer - even people like, Mr Key.
But those on low-middle incomes increased their wealth the most, thanks to the Working for Families tax break. We closed the gap - National is widening it.
The Prime Minister also said yesterday that it was a terrible injustice that 10% of the wealthiest New Zealanders pay 44% of the tax. What does the Prime Minister think they do in Australia? 10% pay 46% of all tax!
Turns out that’s what most countries do. Those who earn more, pay more tax, because they earn a higher share of the income. It’s a fair tax system.
But John Key is no Robin Hood. More like the Sheriff of Nottingham, looking after his own.
Will the average New Zealander be better off after the Sheriff’s budget? No.
Because they’re not getting the lion’s share of the tax cut. Guess who got the lion’s share from the last round of tax cuts? The same top earners. Has the penny dropped yet? If people are not on a high income, this government is not going to help.
Some might have voted for them in 2008 - but they can make them a one-term government in 2011. The first since 1975 - and good riddance. If they’re on an average income but had aspirations to do better - forget it.
This is a budget that puts reinforced glass into the glass ceiling.
This government is showing its true colours today. It doesn’t want all our people to prosper. It wants them to know their place.
Will there be more children lifted out of poverty after today’s budget? No.
A recent UNICEF survey of the well-being of children puts New Zealand almost last - 24th out of 25 countries. It measured immunisation levels, infant death and early death from injury and illness.
Greece’s economy is collapsing and the streets are on fire as people protest - but they’re way ahead of New Zealand when it comes to looking after children!
Here’s what a respected Professor of Epidemiology in New Zealand said recently “In New Zealand, social injustice is killing and maiming our children on a grand scale” We top the scales for OECD rates of whooping cough, rheumatic fever, pneumonia and other diseases in children.
We spend less than the OECD average on child health, and the only thing that will change as a result of this budget is that this appalling situation will get worse.
28% of our children still live in poverty.
That rate started to decline under the last Labour Progressive government for the first time in decades. Working for Families lifted about 100,000 children out of poverty.
Senior people in the medical profession know what the problem is - and they know what the answer is. The politics of inequality.
Why do we have such high rates of child illness and death? Poverty. And how do you get rid of poverty? You increase people’s incomes, give them decent wages and jobs.
Will there be more jobs after today? No.
There is nothing in this budget to create new jobs. Our unemployment rates have ballooned since this government came to power - to over 7%.
The National government can’t blame the recession. Because at the same time, Australia’s unemployment has dropped to just over 5%.
How many jobs has John Key’s cycle way created so far? None!
What about the nine day fortnight? It was meant to save thousands of jobs - but didn’t.
New Zealand doesn’t have a tax problem - it has a wage problem.
National has no plan to increase wages. If John Key thinks that cutting the top tax rate will stop young doctors or entrepreneurs going overseas, he’s dreaming. Australia’s top tax rate is 45 cents in the dollar - much higher than New Zealand’s.
New Zealand’s tax system compared to the rest of the world has been one of the most progressive for average income earners, according to a recent OECD report.
John Key should ask himself why he left the country to go into the world of international speculation. Did he leave to avoid our high taxes? I doubt it.
I’m sure he left because he could earn more overseas. Tax cuts for the wealthy won’t increase the wage packet of ordinary New Zealanders.
Will the economy grow as a result of the Sheriff’s budget today? No.
There is nothing in this budget to increase our exports.
Nothing to encourage us to save.
Nothing to grow the economy.
No new ideas.
The wealthy few who get a hefty tax cut today will most likely invest the extra cash overseas.
Where’s the money for science and research & development?
John Key has scrapped the $2 billion worth of spending on R&D that we had set aside under a Labour-Progressive government. And what’s he replaced it with? A science advisor and a few ‘vouchers’.
The whole package, including the new vouchers in the budget amount to less than 26% of what business and science would have got under a Labour-Progressive government.
Does this anti-science government think that new technologies will just appear out of thin air?
In the meantime, will most New Zealanders pay more? Yes.
The larger the tax cut National gives to the top income earners, the smaller the amount left over for people on the average wage. Someone has to pay.
More GST at the shops.
Increased property tax will increase rents.
More at the petrol pump.
More for power bills
More for ACC.
More for student loans.
More for early childhood education.
This is not a budget for hardworking New
Zealanders and Kiwi families.
Some voted for this government because they thought the Prime Minister’s ‘rags to riches’ story might rub off on our country.
But it turns out Robin Hood is really the Sheriff of Nottingham with a false smile - and the message is clear.
‘Let them eat cake!’
This budget is a disgrace and this parliament should be both ashamed and angry to receive it.
Let them eat cake!
It says ‘don’t worry about an increase in GST and rising food prices, because the rich eat more than the poor, so they’ll pay more in GST.’
Is that meant to make low income families feel better?
You might not be able to afford to buy much food - but just think of the GST you’re saving when you don’t eat?
The rich have a choice if they want to spend more money and pay more GST. They can choose whether to upgrade the Mercedes or buy another boat. Those on lower incomes can’t choose whether or not to eat.
What is John Key saying to New Zealand families struggling to pay the bills and make ends meet on low incomes? Stop being envious.
Well they won’t be envious Mr Key, they’ll be angry - like I am.
Are New Zealand families more or less equal after this budget?
They are less equal - and shame on the Prime Minister. After today’s budget the most wealthy New Zealanders will take home thousands of extra dollars per week compared to those on average incomes.
People like Telecom’s CEO who earned $7 million last year will get a tax cut of $6,608 per week. State sector CEO’s who earn more than $600,000 in some cases, will get a tax cut of nearly $500 per week.
If you’re earning $50,000 after you pay more in GST at the supermarket, you’ll only take home $5 per week. And the chances are - that will be wiped out by inflation anyway!
Is a CEO who got a thousand dollar a week pay rise last year, really the highest priority for a seven hundred dollar a week tax cut this year?
New Zealand is now on a par with the UK which has one of the most entrenched income gaps between rich and poor.
Our ancestors came to this country to get away from that inequality! John Key is determined to bring it back with him from his years speculating overseas.
Others might be taken in by the Prime Minister’s ‘rags to riches’ story. Not me.
I remember he helped people make a pot of money speculating against the New Zealand dollar in the 1980s, at a cost to New Zealand of $700 million. Guess what? At the same time, New Zealand’s increasing rate of income inequality became one of the worst in the OECD.
Over the same period, Australia closed the gap between rich and poor. Income inequality widened again under National governments in the 1990s. And it started to get better during the period of a Labour-led government in 1999-2008.
Mr Key mis-led the House yesterday when he said - and I quote - “income gaps between rich and poor...became worse under the previous Labour Government".
No Mr Key! It became better, and is set to become worse again under this National government. (And today I’ll table the facts to prove it.)
Here they are. Under a Labour-Progressive government between 2001 and 2008 everyone became richer - even people like, Mr Key.
But those on low-middle incomes increased their wealth the most, thanks to the Working for Families tax break. We closed the gap - National is widening it.
The Prime Minister also said yesterday that it was a terrible injustice that 10% of the wealthiest New Zealanders pay 44% of the tax. What does the Prime Minister think they do in Australia? 10% pay 46% of all tax!
Turns out that’s what most countries do. Those who earn more, pay more tax, because they earn a higher share of the income. It’s a fair tax system.
But John Key is no Robin Hood. More like the Sheriff of Nottingham, looking after his own.
Will the average New Zealander be better off after the Sheriff’s budget? No.
Because they’re not getting the lion’s share of the tax cut. Guess who got the lion’s share from the last round of tax cuts? The same top earners. Has the penny dropped yet? If people are not on a high income, this government is not going to help.
Some might have voted for them in 2008 - but they can make them a one-term government in 2011. The first since 1975 - and good riddance. If they’re on an average income but had aspirations to do better - forget it.
This is a budget that puts reinforced glass into the glass ceiling.
This government is showing its true colours today. It doesn’t want all our people to prosper. It wants them to know their place.
Will there be more children lifted out of poverty after today’s budget? No.
A recent UNICEF survey of the well-being of children puts New Zealand almost last - 24th out of 25 countries. It measured immunisation levels, infant death and early death from injury and illness.
Greece’s economy is collapsing and the streets are on fire as people protest - but they’re way ahead of New Zealand when it comes to looking after children!
Here’s what a respected Professor of Epidemiology in New Zealand said recently “In New Zealand, social injustice is killing and maiming our children on a grand scale” We top the scales for OECD rates of whooping cough, rheumatic fever, pneumonia and other diseases in children.
We spend less than the OECD average on child health, and the only thing that will change as a result of this budget is that this appalling situation will get worse.
28% of our children still live in poverty.
That rate started to decline under the last Labour Progressive government for the first time in decades. Working for Families lifted about 100,000 children out of poverty.
Senior people in the medical profession know what the problem is - and they know what the answer is. The politics of inequality.
Why do we have such high rates of child illness and death? Poverty. And how do you get rid of poverty? You increase people’s incomes, give them decent wages and jobs.
Will there be more jobs after today? No.
There is nothing in this budget to create new jobs. Our unemployment rates have ballooned since this government came to power - to over 7%.
The National government can’t blame the recession. Because at the same time, Australia’s unemployment has dropped to just over 5%.
How many jobs has John Key’s cycle way created so far? None!
What about the nine day fortnight? It was meant to save thousands of jobs - but didn’t.
New Zealand doesn’t have a tax problem - it has a wage problem.
National has no plan to increase wages. If John Key thinks that cutting the top tax rate will stop young doctors or entrepreneurs going overseas, he’s dreaming. Australia’s top tax rate is 45 cents in the dollar - much higher than New Zealand’s.
New Zealand’s tax system compared to the rest of the world has been one of the most progressive for average income earners, according to a recent OECD report.
John Key should ask himself why he left the country to go into the world of international speculation. Did he leave to avoid our high taxes? I doubt it.
I’m sure he left because he could earn more overseas. Tax cuts for the wealthy won’t increase the wage packet of ordinary New Zealanders.
Will the economy grow as a result of the Sheriff’s budget today? No.
There is nothing in this budget to increase our exports.
Nothing to encourage us to save.
Nothing to grow the economy.
No new ideas.
The wealthy few who get a hefty tax cut today will most likely invest the extra cash overseas.
Where’s the money for science and research & development?
John Key has scrapped the $2 billion worth of spending on R&D that we had set aside under a Labour-Progressive government. And what’s he replaced it with? A science advisor and a few ‘vouchers’.
The whole package, including the new vouchers in the budget amount to less than 26% of what business and science would have got under a Labour-Progressive government.
Does this anti-science government think that new technologies will just appear out of thin air?
In the meantime, will most New Zealanders pay more? Yes.
The larger the tax cut National gives to the top income earners, the smaller the amount left over for people on the average wage. Someone has to pay.
More GST at the shops.
Increased property tax will increase rents.
More at the petrol pump.
More for power bills
More for ACC.
More for student loans.
More for early childhood education.
This is not a budget for hardworking New
Zealanders and Kiwi families.
Some voted for this government because they thought the Prime Minister’s ‘rags to riches’ story might rub off on our country.
But it turns out Robin Hood is really the Sheriff of Nottingham with a false smile - and the message is clear.
‘Let them eat cake!’
This budget is a disgrace and this parliament should be both ashamed and angry to receive it.
0 Comments
Condolences for people of Haiti
09/02/10 14:44 Filed in: Speeches
House motion of condolence to people of Haiti
Our heart-felt condolences go to the people of Haiti today.
Over the Christmas/ New Year holiday period, we looked on in shock and horror as this fragile and poverty stricken country crumbled in a devastating earthquake.
It seemed so unfair that one of the poorest countries in the world should fall victim to a natural disaster of this magnitude.
Port au Prince is an earthquake prone capital just like Wellington.
But we have spent hundreds of millions of dollars earthquake-proofing our civic buildings.
Haitian buildings look less stable than matchbox houses.
So why was there no solid infrastructure in Haiti?
The simple answer is that Haiti is one of the poorest countries in the world and we are not.
The real tragedy for Haiti is that before the earthquake hit, the government of René Préval had committed itself to a huge program of development.
The international community, led by former US President Bill Clinton, had got behind Haiti.
A huge program was about to begin.
Finally, this country was on the right road for growth after years of dictatorship and corrupt government.
Then the earthquake hit.
Today, the international community - including New Zealand - must pick up that action plan again.
We must listen to the people of Haiti.
It is my heartfelt hope that the government will represent New Zealand and decide to play a role in that recovery phase, no matter how small our part.
We can help decide if Haiti will have a future of growth, or will return to abject poverty.
The decisions the international community make today really matter.
When NGOs and governments go in to build temporary housing and offer shelter to the thousands of homeless, we must make sure that these are built in areas where there is long term economic potential.
Because temporary housing has a habit of becoming permanent.
Not all the building should be in earthquake prone Port au Prince, for example.
Build shelters that can be expanded if the temporary dwellings end up being more permanent.
I would hope also that New Zealand will be a strong voice in the international community for jobs.
Because what the Haitian people need after the immediate relief effort is done, is jobs.
When the international community, NGOs and governments move in to help re-build the roads, the power stations and the buildings - use Haitian labour. Give the people jobs.
By all means, bring in the skilled labour Haiti doesn’t have – but Haiti doesn’t just need ‘doctors without borders’, it needs architects and engineers and accountants without borders.
Use the people of Haiti to build, and give them a living.
New Zealand will do much for the people of Haiti if we advocate for this approach to development right from the beginning.
This has been an unimaginable tragedy for Haiti. The re-building of this country must now be seen as an opportunity for a country and a people who deserve a better future.
Our heart-felt condolences go to the people of Haiti today.
Over the Christmas/ New Year holiday period, we looked on in shock and horror as this fragile and poverty stricken country crumbled in a devastating earthquake.
It seemed so unfair that one of the poorest countries in the world should fall victim to a natural disaster of this magnitude.
Port au Prince is an earthquake prone capital just like Wellington.
But we have spent hundreds of millions of dollars earthquake-proofing our civic buildings.
Haitian buildings look less stable than matchbox houses.
So why was there no solid infrastructure in Haiti?
The simple answer is that Haiti is one of the poorest countries in the world and we are not.
The real tragedy for Haiti is that before the earthquake hit, the government of René Préval had committed itself to a huge program of development.
The international community, led by former US President Bill Clinton, had got behind Haiti.
A huge program was about to begin.
Finally, this country was on the right road for growth after years of dictatorship and corrupt government.
Then the earthquake hit.
Today, the international community - including New Zealand - must pick up that action plan again.
We must listen to the people of Haiti.
It is my heartfelt hope that the government will represent New Zealand and decide to play a role in that recovery phase, no matter how small our part.
We can help decide if Haiti will have a future of growth, or will return to abject poverty.
The decisions the international community make today really matter.
When NGOs and governments go in to build temporary housing and offer shelter to the thousands of homeless, we must make sure that these are built in areas where there is long term economic potential.
Because temporary housing has a habit of becoming permanent.
Not all the building should be in earthquake prone Port au Prince, for example.
Build shelters that can be expanded if the temporary dwellings end up being more permanent.
I would hope also that New Zealand will be a strong voice in the international community for jobs.
Because what the Haitian people need after the immediate relief effort is done, is jobs.
When the international community, NGOs and governments move in to help re-build the roads, the power stations and the buildings - use Haitian labour. Give the people jobs.
By all means, bring in the skilled labour Haiti doesn’t have – but Haiti doesn’t just need ‘doctors without borders’, it needs architects and engineers and accountants without borders.
Use the people of Haiti to build, and give them a living.
New Zealand will do much for the people of Haiti if we advocate for this approach to development right from the beginning.
This has been an unimaginable tragedy for Haiti. The re-building of this country must now be seen as an opportunity for a country and a people who deserve a better future.
A generation of kids will be lost - NZ must do more
29/10/09 17:30 Filed in: News Releases
16,000 children are dying from hunger every day because food aid is now at its lowest level in twenty years, but the National government remains determined not to use our aid for ‘poverty reduction,” says Progressive leader and MP Jim Anderton.
The head of the United Nation’s World Food Programme recently announced that tens of millions of the world’s poor will have their food rations cut or cancelled in the next few weeks because some OECD countries have slashed aid after the financial crisis.
Jim Anderton was talking at the launch of the Mutima Project in Christchurch tonight.
The Mutima project is a volunteer organisation and will send a team of cardiac surgeons to Zambia to perform life-saving heart surgery on young adults.
“I commend them for the strength of their personal commitment and their determination to serve. We are a stronger and more caring community because of people like these Christchurch surgeons. Because of them, a hundred young Zambians will have a second chance at life.”
About 60% of the Zambian population are living on less than a $1 per day.
“But where is the urgency from the National government to save a generation of children who will die from starvation if the world does nothing?”
The National government has recently announced that it will abolish the goal of ‘poverty reduction’ for our aid, and replace it with a goal of ‘economic development’.
“I am a strong champion of economic development - I used to be Minister of Economic Development. But you can’t do much business development if people don’t have enough to eat or clean water to drink.”
“I also want to see the National government do more about bad governance and corruption in some of the poorest countries.”
“I want to see New Zealand get behind a new international Natural Resource Charter which sets out ‘best practice’ in countries with natural resources like oil (or copper in Zambia), so proceeds of those resources go to the poorest people and don’t end up in the pockets of the corrupt,” says Jim Anderton.
The head of the United Nation’s World Food Programme recently announced that tens of millions of the world’s poor will have their food rations cut or cancelled in the next few weeks because some OECD countries have slashed aid after the financial crisis.
Jim Anderton was talking at the launch of the Mutima Project in Christchurch tonight.
The Mutima project is a volunteer organisation and will send a team of cardiac surgeons to Zambia to perform life-saving heart surgery on young adults.
“I commend them for the strength of their personal commitment and their determination to serve. We are a stronger and more caring community because of people like these Christchurch surgeons. Because of them, a hundred young Zambians will have a second chance at life.”
About 60% of the Zambian population are living on less than a $1 per day.
“But where is the urgency from the National government to save a generation of children who will die from starvation if the world does nothing?”
The National government has recently announced that it will abolish the goal of ‘poverty reduction’ for our aid, and replace it with a goal of ‘economic development’.
“I am a strong champion of economic development - I used to be Minister of Economic Development. But you can’t do much business development if people don’t have enough to eat or clean water to drink.”
“I also want to see the National government do more about bad governance and corruption in some of the poorest countries.”
“I want to see New Zealand get behind a new international Natural Resource Charter which sets out ‘best practice’ in countries with natural resources like oil (or copper in Zambia), so proceeds of those resources go to the poorest people and don’t end up in the pockets of the corrupt,” says Jim Anderton.
Launch of the Mutima Project
29/10/09 17:30 Filed in: Speeches
The official launch of the Mutima Project
29 October 2009, 5.30pm.
Princess Margaret Hospital, Christchurch
SPEECH NOTES
I’m very pleased to be here tonight at the official launch of the Mutima Project.
I am often called on to speak to groups of volunteers who give up their time and use their skills to help other people; whether it’s the Canterbury Coastguard, community volunteers, or cardiac surgeons - (you might actually be my first group of cardiac surgeons).
Each time, I’m struck by the strength of the personal commitment of each of you to serve and help others. We are a stronger and more caring community because of people like you.
The organisations and businesses that have supported the project also deserve our thanks and our praise for being there when you needed them.
I once heard an ad which called on people to volunteer; it said ‘Volunteer! What else are you going to do with a degree in literature?’ You can’t say the same about those of you here tonight; ‘what else are you going to do with a degree in cardiac surgery?’ Well - hopefully a lot. We are here to celebrate that you are choosing to give up your time and use your skills to help the people of Zambia.
I’ve also heard it said that when it comes to community service, if you need something done - give it to the busiest person! I know that many of you are busy professional people, but still, more than 30 of you will make the time to travel to Zambia and carry out 100 heart operations over five years.
Some people spend a life-time volunteering.
I heard a story from a daughter who had just helped her 90-year-old mother through the strain of moving from the family home into a retirement home.
The daughter was trying to tidy up all the arrangements and tactfully said: "Mum, what about Meals on Wheels?" To which her mother replied: "No, dear, I don't think I could volunteer for them anymore.”
Behind the willingness to volunteer is the recognition that there is an urgent problem, and if you don’t do anything, people will suffer or die.
I was sickened the other day to read this statistic:16,000 children are dying from hunger-related illnesses every day on this beautiful planet of ours.
This is a quote from the head of the United Nation’s World Food Programme, who warns that food aid is now at its lowest level in 20 years – even though the need is greater than it has ever been.
Tens of millions of the world's poor will have their food rations cut or cancelled in the next few weeks because rich countries have slashed aid funding as a result of the financial crisis.
The number of hungry people in the world has increased from 150 million to more than one billion - in a single year.
We’re talking about the loss of a generation of children to malnutrition, food riots and political destabilisation. It’s a silent tsunami.
This generation of children will never recover unless we do something.
And yet our newspapers aren’t running headlines telling us about this tragedy; there’s no sense of urgency that we have to keep trying to do something.
As many of you here know - some of this tragedy is playing out in Zambia as we speak.
About 60 % of the Zambian population are reportedly living on less than $1 per day.
One in five adults is affected by HIV.
But it’s not all hopeless. There’s a lot we can do, as a country both through our membership of international organisations, and as individuals.
The Zambian economy has depended on copper mining for many years now.
And yet despite being rich in natural resources, its people have been stuck in extreme poverty.
Political corruption and the bad practice of international mining organisations have played their part.
Today, there is international pressure to see countries like Zambia sign up to a draft Natural Resource Charter. This would guide the actions of governments and international businesses so that the proceeds of natural resources go towards development, not into the pockets of the corrupt.
I would like to see New Zealand get behind this Charter and do everything we can to get the governments and businesses in rich countries and the governments of developing countries to sign up to best practice.
I would like to see New Zealand do more as good global citizens. It’s a great shame that NZAID, our aid agency will now be absorbed back into the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The goal of ‘poverty reduction’ for our aid has been replaced with the goal of ‘economic development’.
I am a strong champion of economic development - I used to be Minister of Economic Development’. But you can’t do much business development if people don’t have enough to eat or clean water to drink, or good quality health care.
We can put pressure on politicians to do the right thing. But what we each decide to do as individuals matters too.
Whether you’re performing heart surgery on a young person in Zambia and giving them a second chance at life; or whether you’re a supporter of the Mutima project - your decision to be part of this project matters.
Thanks to you, a hundred young adult Zambians will have a chance to lead productive and active lives.
Who knows? One of them might become a future leader determined to do more to save that generation of children who are dying right now.
You will have left behind a better functioning hospital system so that in the future Zambian surgeons can perform critical surgery themselve, and projects like Mutima won’t be necessary.
But for today, your work is urgently needed, and I applaud you for your decision to do something to save lives. I wish you the best of luck and I look forward to hearing all about it when you get back.
29 October 2009, 5.30pm.
Princess Margaret Hospital, Christchurch
SPEECH NOTES
I’m very pleased to be here tonight at the official launch of the Mutima Project.
I am often called on to speak to groups of volunteers who give up their time and use their skills to help other people; whether it’s the Canterbury Coastguard, community volunteers, or cardiac surgeons - (you might actually be my first group of cardiac surgeons).
Each time, I’m struck by the strength of the personal commitment of each of you to serve and help others. We are a stronger and more caring community because of people like you.
The organisations and businesses that have supported the project also deserve our thanks and our praise for being there when you needed them.
I once heard an ad which called on people to volunteer; it said ‘Volunteer! What else are you going to do with a degree in literature?’ You can’t say the same about those of you here tonight; ‘what else are you going to do with a degree in cardiac surgery?’ Well - hopefully a lot. We are here to celebrate that you are choosing to give up your time and use your skills to help the people of Zambia.
I’ve also heard it said that when it comes to community service, if you need something done - give it to the busiest person! I know that many of you are busy professional people, but still, more than 30 of you will make the time to travel to Zambia and carry out 100 heart operations over five years.
Some people spend a life-time volunteering.
I heard a story from a daughter who had just helped her 90-year-old mother through the strain of moving from the family home into a retirement home.
The daughter was trying to tidy up all the arrangements and tactfully said: "Mum, what about Meals on Wheels?" To which her mother replied: "No, dear, I don't think I could volunteer for them anymore.”
Behind the willingness to volunteer is the recognition that there is an urgent problem, and if you don’t do anything, people will suffer or die.
I was sickened the other day to read this statistic:16,000 children are dying from hunger-related illnesses every day on this beautiful planet of ours.
This is a quote from the head of the United Nation’s World Food Programme, who warns that food aid is now at its lowest level in 20 years – even though the need is greater than it has ever been.
Tens of millions of the world's poor will have their food rations cut or cancelled in the next few weeks because rich countries have slashed aid funding as a result of the financial crisis.
The number of hungry people in the world has increased from 150 million to more than one billion - in a single year.
We’re talking about the loss of a generation of children to malnutrition, food riots and political destabilisation. It’s a silent tsunami.
This generation of children will never recover unless we do something.
And yet our newspapers aren’t running headlines telling us about this tragedy; there’s no sense of urgency that we have to keep trying to do something.
As many of you here know - some of this tragedy is playing out in Zambia as we speak.
About 60 % of the Zambian population are reportedly living on less than $1 per day.
One in five adults is affected by HIV.
But it’s not all hopeless. There’s a lot we can do, as a country both through our membership of international organisations, and as individuals.
The Zambian economy has depended on copper mining for many years now.
And yet despite being rich in natural resources, its people have been stuck in extreme poverty.
Political corruption and the bad practice of international mining organisations have played their part.
Today, there is international pressure to see countries like Zambia sign up to a draft Natural Resource Charter. This would guide the actions of governments and international businesses so that the proceeds of natural resources go towards development, not into the pockets of the corrupt.
I would like to see New Zealand get behind this Charter and do everything we can to get the governments and businesses in rich countries and the governments of developing countries to sign up to best practice.
I would like to see New Zealand do more as good global citizens. It’s a great shame that NZAID, our aid agency will now be absorbed back into the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The goal of ‘poverty reduction’ for our aid has been replaced with the goal of ‘economic development’.
I am a strong champion of economic development - I used to be Minister of Economic Development’. But you can’t do much business development if people don’t have enough to eat or clean water to drink, or good quality health care.
We can put pressure on politicians to do the right thing. But what we each decide to do as individuals matters too.
Whether you’re performing heart surgery on a young person in Zambia and giving them a second chance at life; or whether you’re a supporter of the Mutima project - your decision to be part of this project matters.
Thanks to you, a hundred young adult Zambians will have a chance to lead productive and active lives.
Who knows? One of them might become a future leader determined to do more to save that generation of children who are dying right now.
You will have left behind a better functioning hospital system so that in the future Zambian surgeons can perform critical surgery themselve, and projects like Mutima won’t be necessary.
But for today, your work is urgently needed, and I applaud you for your decision to do something to save lives. I wish you the best of luck and I look forward to hearing all about it when you get back.
Families in energy poverty while Brownlee looks for magic pudding solution
12/08/09 14:41 Filed in: News Releases
New recommendations on energy costs provide no hope of quick relief for
households facing huge power bills this year, Progressive Wigram MP Jim
Anderton says.
"Gerry Brownlee is relying on a magic pudding solution that reduces
costs but no one's going to pay.
"Finding a new structure in energy could take years, while there is a
crisis of electricity poverty this winter," Jim Anderton says.
His Wigram electorate office has been inundated with record numbers of
people who can't afford their winter power bills.
For example, a solo mother with an eleven month old baby got a power
bill for $369 for a four-week period. A low income young working couple
in a Housing NZ flat got a power bill for $400 for four weeks, and a
superannuitant living alone in his own home got a power bill for $205.
"Many families are wondering how they will pay their bills. Power bills
have been driven up by a combination of an early start to winter, with
very cold months early this year, and power bills that have risen faster
than inflation.
"There are alternatives. The state of Victoria, for example, provides
low-income households with more than $1 billion a year in concessions
for essential services. It pays a rebate to some households that reduces
the cost of LPG heating gas. In the United Kingdom, the government
provides a winter fuel payment of NZ$750 for pensioners over 60, and it
pays NZ$1200 for the over-80s.
"Today's review shows energy companies are charging too much for power
and some of those profits should be used to help very poor New Zealand
households," Jim Anderton said.
households facing huge power bills this year, Progressive Wigram MP Jim
Anderton says.
"Gerry Brownlee is relying on a magic pudding solution that reduces
costs but no one's going to pay.
"Finding a new structure in energy could take years, while there is a
crisis of electricity poverty this winter," Jim Anderton says.
His Wigram electorate office has been inundated with record numbers of
people who can't afford their winter power bills.
For example, a solo mother with an eleven month old baby got a power
bill for $369 for a four-week period. A low income young working couple
in a Housing NZ flat got a power bill for $400 for four weeks, and a
superannuitant living alone in his own home got a power bill for $205.
"Many families are wondering how they will pay their bills. Power bills
have been driven up by a combination of an early start to winter, with
very cold months early this year, and power bills that have risen faster
than inflation.
"There are alternatives. The state of Victoria, for example, provides
low-income households with more than $1 billion a year in concessions
for essential services. It pays a rebate to some households that reduces
the cost of LPG heating gas. In the United Kingdom, the government
provides a winter fuel payment of NZ$750 for pensioners over 60, and it
pays NZ$1200 for the over-80s.
"Today's review shows energy companies are charging too much for power
and some of those profits should be used to help very poor New Zealand
households," Jim Anderton said.
Electricity poverty crisis
05/08/09 12:00 Filed in: News Releases
Electricity poverty crisis
There is a crisis of electricity poverty underway in New Zealand this winter, Progressive Wigram MP Jim Anderton says.
His electorate office has been inundated with record numbers of people who can’t afford their winter power bills.
Examples include:
“What is a solo mum with four kids meant to do with a power bill of $400 for four weeks? All four children have recurrent upper and lower respiratory tract infections. That is what happens when you have electricity poverty. Health problems that cost much more than the power bill.
“I understand that Housing New Zealand is not even allowing energy community action to enter homes to undertake a report on insulation and heating options.
“There is no other expense that is similar to electricity bills - a seasonal spike that is an unavoidable expense, unpredictable and sometimes quite extreme in the context of a family budget;
“There are alternatives. The state of Victoria, for example, provides low-income households with more than $1 billion a year in concessions for essential services. It pays a rebate to some households that reduces the cost of LPG heating gas.
“In the United Kingdom, the government provides a winter fuel payment of NZ$750 for pensioners over 60, and it pays NZ$1200 for the over-80s.
“I believe we need some urgent intervention to help New Zealand homes. Energy prices have been rising steadily for around fifteen years. That has now combined with a very cold couple of months.
“The result is electricity poverty and real hardship for thousands of New Zealanders,” Jim Anderton said.
There is a crisis of electricity poverty underway in New Zealand this winter, Progressive Wigram MP Jim Anderton says.
His electorate office has been inundated with record numbers of people who can’t afford their winter power bills.
Examples include:
- A solo mother with an eleven month old baby got a power bill for $369 for a four-week period. She has a wood burner but can’t afford wood. She has a medical certificate from her GP about the respiratory condition of her baby. She lives in a Housing New Zealand home, but can’t get a heat pump or carpet to help keep the house warm. How is she supposed to pay that bill?
- A young couple in another Housing NZ home have one source of power – a wall heater. They got a power bill for $400 for four weeks. These are working people on a very low income, already struggling to pay their rent. There is paint peeling off the walls because of mould. They are on the waiting list for a heat pump, but won’t be getting it before the winter is over.
- A young solo mother with four children came to my office with a power account of $400 for four weeks. They are in a Housing New Zealand home with a log burner, and on the urgent waiting list for a heat pump.
- I had a superannuitant who came to see me, living in his own home, alone. He got a power bill for $205. If you are living on a fixed income and you get a power bill of $205 for four weeks, what are you supposed to do?
“What is a solo mum with four kids meant to do with a power bill of $400 for four weeks? All four children have recurrent upper and lower respiratory tract infections. That is what happens when you have electricity poverty. Health problems that cost much more than the power bill.
“I understand that Housing New Zealand is not even allowing energy community action to enter homes to undertake a report on insulation and heating options.
“There is no other expense that is similar to electricity bills - a seasonal spike that is an unavoidable expense, unpredictable and sometimes quite extreme in the context of a family budget;
“There are alternatives. The state of Victoria, for example, provides low-income households with more than $1 billion a year in concessions for essential services. It pays a rebate to some households that reduces the cost of LPG heating gas.
“In the United Kingdom, the government provides a winter fuel payment of NZ$750 for pensioners over 60, and it pays NZ$1200 for the over-80s.
“I believe we need some urgent intervention to help New Zealand homes. Energy prices have been rising steadily for around fifteen years. That has now combined with a very cold couple of months.
“The result is electricity poverty and real hardship for thousands of New Zealanders,” Jim Anderton said.
Minimum Wage Should Rise
03/02/09 14:07 Filed in: News Releases
Progressive MP Jim Anderton is supporting calls for an increase in the minimum wage when the national government discusses the issue next Monday.
He says protecting the vulnerable is the highest priority for managing the global economic recession.
“The government will need to be reassured that increasing the minimum wage won’t cost jobs. And experience of the last nine years shows just that. Unemployment fell to record lows while the minimum wage was steadily increased by over 70% in nine years.
“Increasing the buying power of the lowest income workers makes sense because they are more likely than anyone to spend their income, keeping the money in circulation and boosting the whole economy at a time when it is needed.
“The employer groups calling for a cut in the minimum wage need to look at the Great Depression. The accumulated effect of everyone cutting back was to drive the economy into a deeper hole.
“The government is likely to make some changes to business tax, and depending on the design that could well be helpful. But it would send the wrong message to cut the minimum wage in real terms at the same time,” Jim Anderton said.
He says protecting the vulnerable is the highest priority for managing the global economic recession.
“The government will need to be reassured that increasing the minimum wage won’t cost jobs. And experience of the last nine years shows just that. Unemployment fell to record lows while the minimum wage was steadily increased by over 70% in nine years.
“Increasing the buying power of the lowest income workers makes sense because they are more likely than anyone to spend their income, keeping the money in circulation and boosting the whole economy at a time when it is needed.
“The employer groups calling for a cut in the minimum wage need to look at the Great Depression. The accumulated effect of everyone cutting back was to drive the economy into a deeper hole.
“The government is likely to make some changes to business tax, and depending on the design that could well be helpful. But it would send the wrong message to cut the minimum wage in real terms at the same time,” Jim Anderton said.
McCully to return to pork barrel NZAid
04/03/09 13:22 Filed in: News Releases
Deputy leader of the Progressive Party Matt Robson and the Minister in 2002 who with Phil Goff set up NZAID slammed Foreign Minister McCully’ s proposal for aid to be part of "NZInc" and for NZAID to be "folded back into MFAT".
"He should just set up a Department of Bribes and be done with it said Matt Robson.
"Being part of MFAT was exactly the problem with NZ development aid before we separated it out into a specialist division."
"It was staffed by junior diplomats on their way up or older diplomats on their way out. There was no specialist department. The programmes were in a muddle. We gave aid to two super military powers- China and India. Why? To peddle influence in their capitals not to help the poorest people. It is to that obscene policy that McCully is obviously attracted.
"Phil Goff as Foreign Minister and I as the Minister responsible for Aid deliberately separated out development aid from Foreign Affairs as it was largely being used as a fund used for New Zealand’s foreign policy aims not to help the development, in a systematic way, of the world’s poorest policy.
"Under National aid money was used by Foreign Affairs to win the support and votes of tyrants like Suharto of Indonesia and the King of Tonga. It was used to give retirement jobs like the head of the Commonwealth to ex National MPs like Don McKinnon.
"NZ Aid was a progressive step for NZ ," concluded Matt Robson.
"He should just set up a Department of Bribes and be done with it said Matt Robson.
"Being part of MFAT was exactly the problem with NZ development aid before we separated it out into a specialist division."
"It was staffed by junior diplomats on their way up or older diplomats on their way out. There was no specialist department. The programmes were in a muddle. We gave aid to two super military powers- China and India. Why? To peddle influence in their capitals not to help the poorest people. It is to that obscene policy that McCully is obviously attracted.
"Phil Goff as Foreign Minister and I as the Minister responsible for Aid deliberately separated out development aid from Foreign Affairs as it was largely being used as a fund used for New Zealand’s foreign policy aims not to help the development, in a systematic way, of the world’s poorest policy.
"Under National aid money was used by Foreign Affairs to win the support and votes of tyrants like Suharto of Indonesia and the King of Tonga. It was used to give retirement jobs like the head of the Commonwealth to ex National MPs like Don McKinnon.
"NZ Aid was a progressive step for NZ ," concluded Matt Robson.
Use power company profits to reduce winter power bills
12/03/09 13:10 Filed in: News Releases
Strong profit increases in the state-owned power companies should be returned to consumers to help with winter power bills, Progressive Wigram MP Jim Anderton says.
He says low income households could be given $200 toward winter heating costs and power companies would still contribute as much to the government than they did last year.
“$200 would mean some households had a month of relief from winter heating costs. For superannuitants, beneficiaries and people who have lost their jobs in the downturn, it would make a huge difference.”
Mighty River Power recorded a profit of $234 million in the last six months of last year.
“That on its own is enough for every household in New Zealand to get a cheque of nearly $200.
“Genesis’ profit for the half year is up by 38 per cent, Transpower’s is up by over a quarter and Meridian is the most profitable of the lot.
“At the same time that the people’s own power companies are booming, the people who own them are heading for a winter when many will struggle to pay the bills. The government should help low income households out by returning some of the huge dividends,” Jim Anderton said.
According to Statistics New Zealand, there are about 1.4 million households. If half were eligible for a $200 winter power rebate, that would cost $140 million. $200 is the estimated winter power bill for a month for the lowest income half of households.
He says low income households could be given $200 toward winter heating costs and power companies would still contribute as much to the government than they did last year.
“$200 would mean some households had a month of relief from winter heating costs. For superannuitants, beneficiaries and people who have lost their jobs in the downturn, it would make a huge difference.”
Mighty River Power recorded a profit of $234 million in the last six months of last year.
“That on its own is enough for every household in New Zealand to get a cheque of nearly $200.
“Genesis’ profit for the half year is up by 38 per cent, Transpower’s is up by over a quarter and Meridian is the most profitable of the lot.
“At the same time that the people’s own power companies are booming, the people who own them are heading for a winter when many will struggle to pay the bills. The government should help low income households out by returning some of the huge dividends,” Jim Anderton said.
According to Statistics New Zealand, there are about 1.4 million households. If half were eligible for a $200 winter power rebate, that would cost $140 million. $200 is the estimated winter power bill for a month for the lowest income half of households.
The future of New Zealand’s overseas development aid
27/03/09 13:03 Filed in: Speeches
Remarks at the summit on the future of New Zealand’s overseas development aid
Loaves and Fishes cafe, Wellington.
10.25AM Friday, 27 March 2009.
Progressives have a special interest in this issue.
My colleague Matt Robson, the Progressives deputy leader, was the aid minister responsible for setting up NZ Aid.
I want to talk to you about why poverty should be the focus of our aid and development efforts.
And I particularly want to address the suggestion that we should switch our focus from poverty to economic development.
I used to be minister of economic development. So I have some insight into what is involved in an economic development programme.
Economic development is not something you can impose from the top.
You don’t go into a region, or into an entire country, and say: ‘this is how you are going to develop your economy.’
It doesn’t work. It never works.
I’ve listened to comments saying we should make our aid efforts benefit New Zealand companies.
This is profoundly wrong.
We don’t give aid to benefit New Zealand companies. We do it because we are good global citizens.
New Zealanders have always been good international citizens, prepared to shoulder our burden in the world. More New Zealanders have died in overseas wars as a proportion of our population than nearly any other country because we are always prepared to do more than our bit.
Trying to sell more of our exports to the poorest countries is not much of an economic strategy.
We are not going to develop export markets for New Zealand by focusing on how much we can sell to the poorest people in the world.
We should certainly be open to trade with the least developed countries of the world.
But trade reform alone, while necessary, is not sufficient.
The last government allowed tariff free access to products from least developed countries as far back as 2002.
I was bitterly attacked from the left for that. The Greens and a number of trade union leaders were strongly against it.
But the truth is - the proportion of imports from least developed countries hasn’t changed since then.
We haven’t been swamped by imports as critics claimed we would.
It also hasn’t been the pathway to prosperity for the poor countries, as some advocates claimed it would be.
You have to do much more.
We have to focus on much more than economic development or even aid itself.
If you focus only on economic development then in a country like the Solomons you would try to aid more value from the trees being extracted there. But there is much more to do than that.
We are talking about countries where a total billion people live in conditions we associate with the fourteenth century deprivation.
Bringing them out of poverty requires a focus on good government, on transparency and ending corruption.
More money is stolen from Africa every year by corrupt governments than the world gives the entire continent in aid. It gets stolen and put in western banks.
If we simply stopped Western banks from being used to hold the stolen proceeds of looting in Africa by corrupt political leaders, it would have the same effect as the overnight doubling of aid budgets.
A focus on economic development doesn’t even look at this issue - a focus on poverty does,
A focus on poverty requires a focus on post-conflict recovery.
Not much is going to be done about poverty in a country ruined by civil war, where any money that comes in gets spent on strengthening the military, where communities are at constant risk of attack and where the spoils of victory are distributed to one side or the other.
Focusing on these issues is crucial - but you cannot do a good job of that if you focus on economic development alone.
In the last year, trillions of dollars of wealth has been destroyed all over the world as financial markets collapse.
Governments everywhere acknowledge this economic crisis and they are scrambling to make an urgent and drastic response.
Why aren’t the billion people living in poverty an urgent global crisis too?
We could have fixed their problem forever for a fraction of the amount lost in the global financial crisis.
The entire annual aid budget of the world is less than the amount lost by some of those failed merchant banks and gigantic corporations alone.
We have the means to end global poverty.
What we lack is not the means, but the will.
NZAid embodies our will to reduce global poverty.
Smashing NZAid, setting the clock back to the past, is a hugely backward step and it interferes with our ability to fight poverty.
It is a mistake, the National government should not go down that road and we should not allow them to do so.
Loaves and Fishes cafe, Wellington.
10.25AM Friday, 27 March 2009.
Progressives have a special interest in this issue.
My colleague Matt Robson, the Progressives deputy leader, was the aid minister responsible for setting up NZ Aid.
I want to talk to you about why poverty should be the focus of our aid and development efforts.
And I particularly want to address the suggestion that we should switch our focus from poverty to economic development.
I used to be minister of economic development. So I have some insight into what is involved in an economic development programme.
Economic development is not something you can impose from the top.
You don’t go into a region, or into an entire country, and say: ‘this is how you are going to develop your economy.’
It doesn’t work. It never works.
I’ve listened to comments saying we should make our aid efforts benefit New Zealand companies.
This is profoundly wrong.
We don’t give aid to benefit New Zealand companies. We do it because we are good global citizens.
New Zealanders have always been good international citizens, prepared to shoulder our burden in the world. More New Zealanders have died in overseas wars as a proportion of our population than nearly any other country because we are always prepared to do more than our bit.
Trying to sell more of our exports to the poorest countries is not much of an economic strategy.
We are not going to develop export markets for New Zealand by focusing on how much we can sell to the poorest people in the world.
We should certainly be open to trade with the least developed countries of the world.
But trade reform alone, while necessary, is not sufficient.
The last government allowed tariff free access to products from least developed countries as far back as 2002.
I was bitterly attacked from the left for that. The Greens and a number of trade union leaders were strongly against it.
But the truth is - the proportion of imports from least developed countries hasn’t changed since then.
We haven’t been swamped by imports as critics claimed we would.
It also hasn’t been the pathway to prosperity for the poor countries, as some advocates claimed it would be.
You have to do much more.
We have to focus on much more than economic development or even aid itself.
If you focus only on economic development then in a country like the Solomons you would try to aid more value from the trees being extracted there. But there is much more to do than that.
We are talking about countries where a total billion people live in conditions we associate with the fourteenth century deprivation.
Bringing them out of poverty requires a focus on good government, on transparency and ending corruption.
More money is stolen from Africa every year by corrupt governments than the world gives the entire continent in aid. It gets stolen and put in western banks.
If we simply stopped Western banks from being used to hold the stolen proceeds of looting in Africa by corrupt political leaders, it would have the same effect as the overnight doubling of aid budgets.
A focus on economic development doesn’t even look at this issue - a focus on poverty does,
A focus on poverty requires a focus on post-conflict recovery.
Not much is going to be done about poverty in a country ruined by civil war, where any money that comes in gets spent on strengthening the military, where communities are at constant risk of attack and where the spoils of victory are distributed to one side or the other.
Focusing on these issues is crucial - but you cannot do a good job of that if you focus on economic development alone.
In the last year, trillions of dollars of wealth has been destroyed all over the world as financial markets collapse.
Governments everywhere acknowledge this economic crisis and they are scrambling to make an urgent and drastic response.
Why aren’t the billion people living in poverty an urgent global crisis too?
We could have fixed their problem forever for a fraction of the amount lost in the global financial crisis.
The entire annual aid budget of the world is less than the amount lost by some of those failed merchant banks and gigantic corporations alone.
We have the means to end global poverty.
What we lack is not the means, but the will.
NZAid embodies our will to reduce global poverty.
Smashing NZAid, setting the clock back to the past, is a hugely backward step and it interferes with our ability to fight poverty.
It is a mistake, the National government should not go down that road and we should not allow them to do so.
Focus aid on poverty elimination
27/03/09 13:00 Filed in: News Releases
A focus on economic development rather than poverty elimination will mean we don’t focus on some critical problems affecting the world’s poorest countries, Progressive leader Jim Anderton told a summit on the future of New Zealand aid today.
Jim Anderton is a former economic development minister, and Progressive party deputy leader Matt Robson set up NZAid when he was overseas development minister.
“The poorest billion people in the world live in conditions we associate with fourteenth century deprivation. Bringing them out of poverty requires a focus on good government, on transparency and ending corruption,” Jim Anderton says.
“More money is stolen from Africa every year by corrupt governments than the world gives the entire continent in aid. It gets stolen and put in western banks. If we simply stopped Western banks from being used to hold the stolen proceeds of looting in Africa by corrupt political leaders, it would have the same effect as the overnight doubling of aid budgets. A focus on economic development doesn’t even look at this issue - a focus on poverty does.
“A focus on poverty requires a focus on post-conflict recovery. Not much is going to be done about poverty in a country ruined by civil war, where any money that comes in gets spent on strengthening the military. Focusing on these issues is crucial - but you cannot do a good job of that if you focus on economic development alone.”
Jim Anderton says it is profoundly wrong to make assistance to New Zealand companies the focus of our aid effort.
“We don’t give aid to benefit New Zealand companies. We do it because we are good global citizens. Trying to sell more of our exports to the poorest countries is not much of an economic strategy. We are not going to develop export markets for New Zealand by focusing on how much we can sell to the poorest people in the world.
“We should certainly be open to trade with the least developed countries of the world. But trade reform alone, while necessary, is not sufficient.”
Jim Anderton is a former economic development minister, and Progressive party deputy leader Matt Robson set up NZAid when he was overseas development minister.
“The poorest billion people in the world live in conditions we associate with fourteenth century deprivation. Bringing them out of poverty requires a focus on good government, on transparency and ending corruption,” Jim Anderton says.
“More money is stolen from Africa every year by corrupt governments than the world gives the entire continent in aid. It gets stolen and put in western banks. If we simply stopped Western banks from being used to hold the stolen proceeds of looting in Africa by corrupt political leaders, it would have the same effect as the overnight doubling of aid budgets. A focus on economic development doesn’t even look at this issue - a focus on poverty does.
“A focus on poverty requires a focus on post-conflict recovery. Not much is going to be done about poverty in a country ruined by civil war, where any money that comes in gets spent on strengthening the military. Focusing on these issues is crucial - but you cannot do a good job of that if you focus on economic development alone.”
Jim Anderton says it is profoundly wrong to make assistance to New Zealand companies the focus of our aid effort.
“We don’t give aid to benefit New Zealand companies. We do it because we are good global citizens. Trying to sell more of our exports to the poorest countries is not much of an economic strategy. We are not going to develop export markets for New Zealand by focusing on how much we can sell to the poorest people in the world.
“We should certainly be open to trade with the least developed countries of the world. But trade reform alone, while necessary, is not sufficient.”