Jill Hall (Shortland, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Today I will use this adjournment debate to talk about a visit I had from Micah Challenge earlier this week. But, before turning to the very important issue that was raised by them, I would like to follow on from the member for Dobell, who made a contribution earlier today in constituency statements about the need for the Central Coast to be recognised as a region. I would like to put my voice behind his and support him in his efforts, because it is really important to the people of the Central Coast that the Central Coast is recognised as a region, for the reasons he has stated.

This week I was visited by a number of younger people from Micah Challenge, which is a global movement of Christian aid and development agencies, church groups, and individuals, who aim to encourage and deepen the awareness of people about the poverty that exists throughout the world. It is backed up by the Christian faith. Micah Challenge is very committed to seeing poverty erased throughout the world. They gave me a number of pieces of paper with information on them, and reinforced what a number of us in this parliament have been working for, for a long period of time: to see the millennium goals reached.

They also raised the issue of climate change and how that is impacting on people living in poverty and threatens to undo progress on the millennium goals. Climate change is becoming a real issue for developing countries. Participants in Voices for Justice of the Micah Challenge shared with me how deeply they cared about our global neighbours who depend on having a stable climate for their environment. Many of the developing countries will be particularly badly affected by climate change. Late last month I visited the Torres Strait as a member of the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Health and Ageing, which is holding an inquiry into regional health issues jointly affecting Australia and the South Pacific. Whilst we were there we visited the northernmost island, the one closest to Papua New Guinea’s Western Province, which is Saibai Island. You only have to go there to see how greatly climate change can impact such areas and how important it is that we get behind the issue that Micah Challenge has raised with a number of members of parliament. I am sure they visited many members of parliament whilst they were here, but what interested me in particular was that they raised the issue of climate change.

I have here a number of letters they gave me that have come from people within my electorate. I would like to read one in particular, from Philip Kidner, who has one of the strongest senses of social justice that I have come across. He constantly works and strives to see that people get a decent go in life. He is a long-time campaigner for the millennium goals. He says in his letter:

I am writing because I have long been concerned for the social justice issues in the world, and poverty and hunger are situations that need action by the wealthy nations for their relief in the poor countries. I am therefore writing in response to the appeal by Micah Challenge for action by our government. Actually I have written to you before—

to the Prime Minister—

on the issue of world poverty and have been assured that you are committed to the achievement of the Millennium Goals by providing for an increase in Australian overseas aid to .05 per cent.

He goes on to detail even more issues in relation to world poverty. I would like to table his letter along with all the other letters I have here from people in my electorate. I seek leave to do that.

Leave granted.