Bob Geldof still thinks Australia is one of the meanest countries on Planet Earth when it comes to its foreign aid program.
The outspoken singer gave an emphatic response when asked if Australia was shouldering its weight of the world's international aid.
"No, it's embarrassingly pathetic," the former Boomtown Rats frontman told a news conference this morning.
"In fact it is one of the meanest on the planet."
Opposition Leader Kevin Rudd has promised to increase Australia's overseas aid program - now just 0.3% of GDP - to 0.5% of GDP by 2015, if elected.
Geldof was still unimpressed, accusing Australia's leaders of breaking United Nations goals for foreign aid.
"For a country that keeps boasting about its huge growth, which is absolutely correct - it should boast and be proud of it - is 99.5% not enough for you?
"You know, is that not enough for you?"
Sir Bob, in Brisbane to speak at tonight's QUT Business Leaders forum, made the comments as he was appointed - somewhat lightheartedly - as an Honorary Ambassador for Brisbane.
Geldof said Australia's commitment to foreign aid was well below the levels of other countries.
"I mean Britain will get to 0.51%, which is the result of LiveAid by 2012, France by 2013, and the European countries ... will get to 0.7% by 2015," Sir Bob said.
The man synonymous with Live Aid and Live 8 concerts said Australia was in danger of missing international agreements on foreign aid.
"If you don't get to 0.5% by 2010, you don't get to 0.7% by 2015," he said.
"And Australia has agreed to that in the Millenium Development Goals of the UN (United Nations).
"So, in fact whoever is prompting 0.5% - it is actually breaking an Australian promise to get to 0.7% by 2015.
"And if people think that is a lot of money - what, is 99.3% not enough for you all? Is it not enough?
"It's tragic."
Geldof spoke amiably to reporters for 30 minutes this morning, covering all things in his trademark relaxed style - except for Australia's record on foreign aid.
It is a point he also highlighted in 2005 in an interview with the ABC.
Back then, he said Africa received between $12 and $20 billion each year, equivalent to one third of the total world aid.
In 2005, the Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID) estimated Australia would provide $67.5 million in the 2005-06 financial year.
Australia's total foreign aid program for 2005-06 was around $2 billion.
Geldof switched course several times during the morning, from his evening last night at a Brisbane salsa club to Brisbane's population growth, tourism and climate change.
He later accepted a plaque from Lord Mayor Campbell Newman recognising his role as an ambassador for Brisbane.
Geldof speaks tonight at the Brisbane Visitors and Convention Centre for QUT.
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2 comments:
quiet frankly I think you should be happy they get something rather than nothing.
over the years that I have read and known about all these live aides etc the world has dontated billions of dollars to get the 3rd world countries out of the rutts they are in.. but low and behold they are still in the ruts. Whats the point. You are not teachign these countries anything new and really that is bullshit. you don't need more money Mr Geldoff you need to teach. Whats the saying Give a man a fish he will eat for a day, Teach a man to fish he has food for life. You really need to take this into consideration.
As for Australians being mean, bloody oath - look who we learnt it from, Our English Ancestors. They were mean and banished us all to the far far away land of Australia.
Grow up mate as name calling is so out of date.
Aid to other countries is important but does Bob know where the money ends up? There's so much corruption in a lot of these places for starters and how much of the money is spent on things other than aid?
Maybe Bob could bash out another hit, something like "I don't like Aussie aid, I wanna shoot their charities down"
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