Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Sydney (Agenzia Fides) - The political forces which govern Australia must enable the country to make a greater contribution towards achieving the Millennium Goals one of which was to eradicate extreme poverty in the world by 2015: this was stated by the chairman of Caritas Australia, layman Jack de Groot, who remarked that the government which will come out of the next elections must guarantee maximum commitment in the field of international cooperation.
During elections on 24 November Australians will choose members of parliament for the house of representatives and the half of the Senate.
“We ask Australia not only to increase its contribution for international cooperation by 0.7% of the GNP but for aid to be complementary to fair trade and solidarity with trade agreements stipulated with countries in the South of the world, to meet the needs of vulnerable communities and sustain developing economies”, De Groot said, urging parties involved in the electoral campaign in Australia to keep their promises.
All over the world the Catholic Church is helping to achieve the Millennium Goals and eradicate poverty, the president of Caritas Australia recalled. “However many Australian governments failed to divert budget surplus to international cooperation programmes: this is unacceptable. It is moral imperative to keep promises to help the lives of millions of people ”, Mr De Groot said.
The Catholic Bishops' Conference of Australia, De Groot continued, “has clearly a mission for social justice, to say that we are all called to help our neighbours and for the good of those who do not have our prosperity and security”. (PA) (Agenzia Fides 6/11/2007 righe 26 parole 269)
