Yesterday the prime meanster pulled one of the meanest & shallowest stunts of his career.

Our little johnnie proudly announced that Australia intended to increase its overseas aid allocation to about A$4 billion a year by 2010. Such an increase would represent a doubling of Australia's overseas aid from 2004 levels.

Australia’s foreign aid in 2004 amounted to 0.18% of GDP & with the great benefactor’s latest generous announcement will effectively double our contributions to around 0.36% - if the commitment is met.

But how generous is this really?

In 2000, the world community, including the Australian government led by John Howard, endorsed the UN Millennium Declaration, committing the world community to creating a fairer, safer world for all humanity.

To give meaning to the Millennium Declaration, a number of Millennium Development Goals, containing specific targets to reflect the achievement of a 50% reduction in global poverty by 2015, were agreed & endorsed by the heads of state from 189 countries, including little johnnie on our behalf.

The Millennium Goals reflect agreement on the part of the international community to achieve common targets & to be accountable for their achievement.

The 8 Millennium Development Goals are:

1.                 Toward eradicating poverty & hunger, halve the number of people whose income is less than US$1 per day;

2.                 Achieve universal primary education for all children (more than 5 million children do not have access to primary  education);

3.                 Toward promoting gender equality & empowering women, eliminate gender disparity in all primary & secondary education;

4.                  Toward eliminating child mortality, reduce the incidence of child mortality for infants under the age of 5 years by 2/3rds

            (more than 500,000 children perish each year prior to the age of 5 years);

5.                  Toward improving maternal health, reduce the incidence of female mortality due to pregnancy-related illnesses by 3/4ths;

6.                  Toward the reduction / eradication of HIV/AIDS, Malaria & other diseases, halt & reverse the spread of such diseases;

7.                  Toward the achievement of environmental sustainability, reduce the incidence of people without access to fresh & clean drinking water by half (more than 100 million people do not have access to fresh & clean drinking water);

8.                  Develop a global partnership for development.

Today, the gap between rich & poor has never been wider, with malnutrition, HIV/AIDS, conflict & illiteracy a daily reality for millions.

The UN Millennium Report (2005) led by internationally renowned economist, Jeffery Sachs, highlighted that 2005 was the year for new action, if the Millennium Declaration goal of reducing global poverty by 50% by 2015 is to be realized.

To meet the commitment made by John Howard to the Millennium Development Goals in 2000, Australia’s rate of contribution must be at least 0.5% of GDP, even though the Australian government had previously promised a contribution of 0.7% of GDP.

Yesterday, the prime meanster proudly announced a 2010 ‘target’ for an increase in Australia’s overseas aid in support of the Millennium Declaration goal of halving global poverty by 2015.

But his ‘target’ is less than that required from Australia for it to meet its prior commitment & half that previously promised by his government.

Once again the prime meanster has tampered with our ‘core’ values, proudly & publicly transforming our nation’s reputation from that of a generous & responsible global citizen to that of a hypocritical & dishonest nation, selfishly prepared to walk away from its commitments & unconcerned with the impact on our international standing.

John Howard is a disgrace & an embarrassment but this effort has tarnished the image of all Australians.

Ironically & sadly, most of them are oblivious to the fact.