All 191 members of the United Nations, including Australia, have committed to achieving the following Millennium Development Goals (MDGs): Goal 1: Half Global Poverty by 2015 Goal 2: Universal Education Goal 3: Gender Equality and Empowerment Goal 4: Reduce child mortality Goal 5: Improve maternal health Goal 6: Combat AIDS Goal 7: Ensure environmental sustainability Goal 8: Develop a global partnership for development In order to meet the above MDGs, the Australian Government needs to give just 0.7% of our national wealth in aid to poor countries. The government\'s current contribution however, is a tiny 0.3% of gross national income (GNI). We are calling upon the Australian Government to commit to an aid allocation of: 0.5%GNI by 2010 0.7%GNI by 2015 As well as increasing the amount of aid, the Australian Government needs to ensure that this money is directed appropriately, to long-term sustainable development, in accordance with the Millennium Development Goal framework. Regional instability, such as in the Solomon Islands and East Timor, must be addressed with a long-term sustainable response that targets the root causes of instability, which include poverty. It is Australia\'s responsibility, as a leader in our region, to provide more and better aid to our neighbours and uphold our commitment to the Millennium Development Goals.

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