Extract from Kevin Rudd's speech addressing the Lowy institute:
Australia’s national self interest demands that we ... tackle poverty in our region, as part of a wider strategy to deal with the impact of terrorism, climate change, pandemics and refugees on Australia ... if we fail to do so ... we will face even greater costs in the future...

[It] is also ... the right thing to do because poverty is the enemy of all humankind.
(View the full speech)