Media statement
For immediate release
Monday, 14 May 2007

Dunne: Aid boost long time coming

United Future leader Peter Dunne today congratulated the Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters for the boost to aid that Budget 2007 brings.

“For too long, New Zealand’s contribution to foreign aid has been pitiful. It’s a relief to finally see some change."

The OECD says aid from its 22 member countries fell last year, while New Zealand ranked near the bottom, giving just 0.27% of Gross National Income in aid.

Budget 2007 will mean a $70 million increase to aid and development programmes for this year, increasing our aid to 0.30 per cent of GNI. The following three years will see aid reach 0.35 per cent of GNI.

“United Future sees New Zealand’s aid programme as part of being a responsible global citizen.

“This means we don’t just do the glory jobs like peace-keeping, but sometimes we have to commit to the hard work of taking money out of our own back pocket for someone needier than us.

“Along with parties like the Greens and New Zealand First, we believe that that New Zealand should work to reach the agreed UN target of 0.7 per cent of GNI for aid by 2015.

“To do this, United Future believes Parliament must be decisive and come to a multi-party agreement on the steps to take to achieve the goal of 0.7 per cent aid by 2015."

ENDS

© Scoop Media