Last week I posted on Make Charity History and mentioned NZ's very poor foreign aid levels. The Herald reports that Oxfam NZ's director, Barry Coates has said: 'Most kiwis think we are good global citizens. But compared to others, our government is a miserly aid donor'. Currently NZ gives only 0.27% of GNI, and although Labour has promised to increase this to 0.35% by 2010 there has been no increase yet. Oxfam says also, that NZ is 'one of only a few countries who have not set a plan in place to reach our promised target of 0.7%'.
Despite being miserly, the NZ Government is not that different to other western governments, who according to the UK Independent have even been cutting back on foreign aid after a G8 splurge last year which has dwindled out leading to a breaking of aid promises. It's also worth keeping in mind that more aid doesn't necessarily equal a good thing. For example, the cost of NZ's military involvement in the occupation of Afghanistan is counted towards the country's foreign aid donations!
