Article Listings

'Relief in Sight' is a compelling display of 68 photographs reflecting Australia’s commitment to helping people affected by natural disasters and conflict, which I was proud to launch on 10 June 2008.

Launching 'Sharing Experiences', a publication on sanitation, in Melbourne on 7 April '08.

A Rudd Labor government will take the lead on water and sanitation for developing countries in the Asia-Pacific region.

Unclean water and poor sanitation are the world’s second biggest killers of children, needlessly killing 1.8 million children every year.

An incoming Rudd Labor government will allocate an additional $100 million from Australia’s international aid budget in 2009/10 and an additional $200 million in 2010/11 to assist our neighbours meet a basic human need – access to clean water and sanitation.

Up to 75% of blindness is treatable or preventable, yet more than half of the world’s vision impaired live on Australia’s doorstep in Asia and the Pacific.

A Rudd Labor government will lead efforts to give sight to the poorest of the poor in our region, and will provide up to $22.5 million each year for two years to:
• Address eye health and vision care needs in our neighbouring countries in the Pacific using existing health system infrastructure.
• Identify and plan to expand into selected priority countries in South-East Asia.

As part of this plan, a Rudd Labor government will undertake a pilot program in the South Pacific and priority countries in South East Asia, establishing at least 10 Vision Centres and at least one Service Centre as well as providing support to the Pacific Eye Institute and training crucial eye and vision personnel.

Download the policy here.

Labor MP for Fraser, Bob McMullan, has welcomed news that Kevin Rudd will convene a National Housing Affordability Summit later this month - as families struggle to make the great Australian dream a reality.

“Home ownership has now slipped beyond the reach of many young Canberra families, with housing less affordable now than at any time in Australia’s history,” Mr McMullan said.

Today Senator Kate Lundy, Federal Member for Canberra Annette Ellis MP and Federal Member for Fraser Bob McMullan MP joined together to urge all senior Australians and groups to make a submission by 20 July 2007 to the Senate Inquiry that Labor has established into the cost of living pressures facing older Australians.

Federal Labor’s new policy proposal on aid to Indonesia could radically change the lives of thousands of poor Indonesians fighting deadly diseases.

A Rudd Labor Government will offer to swap $75 million of Indonesia’s debt to Australia for Indonesian health programs to fight Tuberculosis (TB).

Under the Debt2Health agreement of the Global Fund to fight AIDs, TB and Malaria (GFATM), Australia would be prepared to forgive a portion of the debt owed from Indonesia, with half of this money to be invested in health programs focussing on TB.

A Rudd Labor Government will make a real commitment to climate change solutions by offering households interest free loans of up to $10,000 to help make homes greener and more energy and water efficient.

Labor welcomes the Business for Poverty Relief report released today urging businesses to take an active role in reducing poverty in our region.

At the launch of the Business for Poverty Relief Alliance in Melbourne today, Paul Gardner (Grey Global Group Australia) highlighted the inadequacy of the Australian Government’s contribution to overseas aid in contrast to other countries and called for a significant increase.

Today Labor Leader Kevin Rudd has announced a nation building investment in communications infrastructure for Australia. Under Labor’s plan, a national broadband network will deliver access to broadband speeds of a minimum of 12 mbps to 98 per cent of Australian homes and businesses. This is great news for the many people in Gungahlin struggling to obtain decent broadband access.

Leading business groups are right to demand Commonwealth Government leadership in the coordination and development of infrastructure projects in Australia.

Business has warned of a backlog of infrastructure projects and queried the commitment of the federal government to infrastructure provision in key areas.

To avoid bottlenecks and associated loss of productivity, business groups have called for the appointment of a Commonwealth Minister for Infrastructure.

The Business Council of Australia estimates Australia has a $90 billion shortfall in infrastructure, and that infrastructure reform would boost Australia’s GDP by around $20 billion.

Today we have signed a letter to Nancy Pelosi, Speaker of the US Congress, calling on the United States Congress to help bring David Hicks home immediately.

David Hicks, an Australian citizen, has been held at Guantanamo Bay for over five years now. That’s five years with no charges laid and no chance of his release in sight.

It is clear that the Howard Government has abandoned one of its own citizens to a military commission process that no other Western country considers acceptable.

Latham Primary School September 05

We can confirm today that the Labor Party will meet its Budget Pledge and put downward pressure on interest rates.

At a meeting today at the Motor Trades Association of Queensland the Shadow Minister for Small Business Bob McMullan announced that the Australian Labor Party has committed to implementing the ten critical reforms to the Trade Practices Act proposed in the Small Business Charter of Fairness issued by the Fair Trading Coalition (FTC).

At a meeting today at the Victorian Automobile Chamber of Commerce the Shadow Minister for Small Business Bob McMullan announced that the Australian Labor Party has committed to implementing the ten critical reforms to the Trade Practices Act proposed in the Small Business Charter of Fairness issued by the Fair Trading Coalition (FTC).

Liberal Party Minister Robert Hill and Liberal candidates Gary Nairn and Senator Humphries have been caught up in a blatant breach of the rules about proper use of taxpayers’ resources during an election campaign.