10 March 2009

Charity Shouldn't Begin At Home for Overseas Aid

The Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully needs to tell the public just what will qualify as New Zealand Aid (NZAID) under his reign, said Green Party Overseas Development Assistance Spokesperson Dr Kennedy Graham.

Yesterday at his post-cabinet press conference Prime Minister John Key told journalists that subsidising Air New Zealand flights between Tonga, Samoa and the United States may very well come out of NZAID's budget under a National Government.

The flights from Samoa and Tonga to the United States mainland, which were at risk of being cancelled, play a large part in assisting these countries tourism industries. Regular access to the American mainland also assists Tonga and Samoa to export goods.

"It is not necessarily bad that Tonga and Samoa's access to the United States mainland is being kept open," said Dr Graham. "But if this money is going to come out of NZAID's budget in future years there needs to be transparency around the arrangement. Is our already low NZAID budget now going to become an indirect subsidy for our national carrier?"

In answers to Written Questions Mr McCully has stated that he wants NZAID to focus its programmes towards 'economic growth, including infrastructure development, sectors such as fisheries and tourism, and private sector development.' Mr McCully has included all of these areas under the banner of 'sustainable economic growth'.

"Mr McCully has dismissively stated to the media that you could 'throw hundred dollar bills out of a helicopter and call it aid' - well in future will NZAID money be going to New Zealand companies to shovel hundred dollar bills into tourist condominiums?," asked Dr Graham.

Dr Graham was thankful that the Prime Minister at yesterday's post-cabinet press conference has at least ruled out seabed mining around Pacific countries as being a 'sustainable' industry to sink NZAID dollars into.

Last week National MPs on the Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Select Committee defeated a Labour/Green Party motion that would have required Mr McCully to answer the Committee's questions on this issue. "I challenge Mr McCully, upon his return from Europe, to attend the committee and explain just what will be being funded and what other cuts, besides the $1.95 million-a-year Pacific aid programme, will be made."

ENDS

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