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Kevin Rudd thanks Micah Challenge for helping secure aid budget


Micah Challenge
Friday, 13 May 2011, 12:27 (EST)
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More than one hundred passionate aid advocates braved the Sydney cold this morning to attend a breakfast with Minister for Foreign Affairs, The Hon. Kevin Rudd MP. The Minister, who asked Micah Challenge to put out the invitation just yesterday, met with campaigners to thank them for their work in helping secure aid in the Federal Budget. The Government moved to ‘quarantine’ aid from cuts in this year’s ‘tough budget’, announced on Tuesday night. They are currently on track to reach their commitment to increase aid to 0.5% of Gross National Income by 2015-16.

“The wider movement we call Micah Challenge and Make Poverty History has brought aid from the outskirts of the political agenda to centre stage,” said Mr. Rudd at this morning’s breakfast.

Mr. Rudd also credited the movement for mobilising wide public support of the Millennium Development Goals and for “etching the issue deeply into the souls of Australians”.

The commitment to reach 0.5% of national income in aid spending is currently a bipartisan one. The Opposition recommitted its support yesterday under pressure to clarify its position in light of some aid-critical comments made by Mr. Joe Hockey MP in the media.

“'There is no change to the Coalition policy of increasing the foreign aid budget to 0.5 per cent of GNI by 2015-16”, said Deputy Opposition leader and aid spokesperson, Ms. Julie Bishop MP.

In thanking campaigners, Mr. Rudd also urged those present to keep up the work of “hassling politicians” on both sides of politics.

“The work you’ve done – big tick. The work you’ll do in the future – even more important” he said. “Keep it up.”
Micah Challenge supporters plan to do just that. They will travel to Canberra this September for the annual Voices for Justice Gathering, where they will hold meetings with politicians.

“Our supporters believe that God has called Christians to speak up on behalf of the world’s poorest people,” said Micah Challenge National Coordinator, Mr John Beckett. “They have no intention of removing their pressure from Australia’s politicians.”

For more information, or to contact Micah Challenge, click here.


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