Senator Andrew Bartlett
Tuesday, July 05, 2005
 
Why can’t we ‘Make Poverty History’ in Australia too?
I think the Live 8 concerts and related public debate have been a wonderful way to bring a focus on the fact it needs political will to end poverty and its related suffering. Reports that the goal of $25 billion more for aid was in sight are great to hear. The usual curmudgeons have been about saying that aid won’t solve anything without political and economic reform and the end of corrupt governments and leaders in Africa. There is some truth in this, but to use that to criticise attempts to alleviate crippling debt and build political will to break the back of poverty is pathetic.

But I do agree that without genuine political will from the leaders of countries that have severe poverty and avoidable early deaths amongst their citizens and the proper directing of resources towards the poorest people who are most in need, full progress won’t be made. That’s why the finger has to be pointed at Australia's political leaders for continuing to accept third-world health standards for many of our aboriginal people. I felt even more annoyed at those who scoff at the idea of more aid and just blame governments in Africa for the appalling health situation of their people, when kids are dying in Australia who shouldn’t be, and people are suffering terrible ill health and poverty in Australia who shouldn’t be. No one is saying that situation is all the fault of corrupt leaders who do not have the political will to do anything about it. In fact a lot of people don’t seem to be saying very much about it at all.

In amongst those very telling images from the Live 8 coverage of fingers snapping every three seconds – each click signifying a preventable, poverty related death – we must remember are Australian aboriginal kids and young adults dying as well. The health statistics for indigenous Australians are compatible with some of those African countries we are talking about, yet there is no political will in our country to do something about it or to put the money that is needed towards fixing it. The facts are all there and well known, yet they continue to be ignored politically. I don’t know what it will take to make us sit up and take it seriously and feel as strongly about our own people as we do about those in African countries.

According to the Australian Medical Association, “each year 83 indigenous children die in Australia because they are indigenous”. Australia’s indigenous people don’t live in a third world country – is that why we don’t in the main notice their suffering or why we read the statistics but don’t register it? Do we think perhaps “they live here so they have the opportunity if they just got their shit together?“ Do we really think it’s that simple?

This is all the more shaming and damning because we are not a third world country – we are not a poor country. We are a very rich country. We are a democracy where everyone is equal and all deserve to share in the wealth. Our leaders are not corrupt or spirit money away for their own purposes, do they? The AMA estimates that around $20 million a year of new money would provide the health workers and support staff, outreach services, pharmaceuticals, food and transport required to make a crucial difference on the pivotal issue of low birth weight and premature babies amongst indigenous communities. This is the same amount the federal government is likely to spend on advertisements to defend their planned changes to our industrial relations laws. The ABC reports a small indigenous health initiative has just been announced, although the AMA has already pointed out an obvious flaw in the plan.

Another of my many frustrations from the last election campaign was being unable to raise any interest in this most blatant and compelling injustice. I just cannot understand how we accept children continuing to die in our own back yard while pontificating about those that are dying in Africa and why our political leaders and mainstream media do not treat this as a matter of the utmost urgency.


PS While I’m mentioning Live 8, there’s a good piece on the topic at William Burroughs’ Baboon – “Whether from left or right, check your politics in at the door when you enter the house of Desperate Deprivation.” This piece also mentions a very good examination of the issues by Brian Bahnisch at Larvatus Prodeo (which is followed by some good debate and comments too).

posted by Andrew Bartlett @ Tuesday, July 05, 2005 Permalink
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