Good on ya, Peter Dunne!
OK, having criticised Peter Dunne this morning, I’m now obliged to give him some credit for something he’s done this afternoon.
The UF leader is calling for a multi-party agreement on increasing Overseas Development Assistance (ODA, AKA ‘foreign aid’). NZPA reports:
Mr Dunne said it was time for New Zealand to put its money where its mouth was, and he wanted to work with other parties in Parliament to reach an accord on raising foreign aid.
New Zealand’s foreign aid in the last financial year was 0.27 per cent of GDP. Mr Dunne wants it increased to 0.5 per cent, moving towards the international goal of 0.7 per cent.
In May this year New Zealand was ranked 18th out of 22 OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) countries for foreign aid contributions.
In a later version of the same story, not yet online, Keith has welcomed Dunne’s call:
“While we have as part of our agreement with Labour an increase in aid it would be much easier and more effective if all the parties work together on it.”
Keith has been pushing for an increase in ODA for some time, most recently on White Band Day.
Dunne’s renewed effort on the issue will also be welcomed by the Council for International Development, which has been calling for an increase in Overseas Development Assistance (ODA) for a long time.
December 3rd, 2005 at 7:03 pm
what are the Greens’ stance on Taiwan? i hope they back Dunne on that too. you should make a post about it : )