Rant.

In the last year I have spent 5 months aborad. I've always felt really proud and entitled to this because I worked really hard and paid for it myself. Most people my age spend their money on cars and clubbing, or were simply handed it by their parents. Even during highschool I've been committed to travelling.
And then I get to Ethiopia and that sense of pride and entitlment disapeared. People in this country work incredibly hard just to feed their families. They wouldn't dream of going travelling in Ethiopia, never mind the world.
I was told that a waiter will earn $50 a week. I earn that in 2 hours doing the same job.
It just goes to show how the world is structured to allow poverty.
It's easy to forget that we are the richest in the world. Rich does not necessarily mean mansions and sports cars. All of my friends, family, people I went to school with and work with, we make up the richest in the world.
Because of this I think we all have a responsibility. It doesn't have to mean dedicating your life to charity or selling your house. But simple things such as our power to vote.
I hope anyone that voted liberal did it out of pure ignorance and not an intellectual decision. Since liberal was elected they have dissolved AusAID- our governments aid program, instead including it in foreign affairs and trade. They have cut $4.5 billion in international aid over the next four years, not million, BILLIONS. I don't want to even think about how many lives that equates to letting die from preventable causes.
Australia is one of the wealthiest countries in the world but we are so reluctant to share that with those that are suffering in the world.
And "stop the boats." Anyone that can possible support turning away genuine political and economic does not deserve to live in Australia. Especially when it is based on the ridiculous notion that because they follow Islam inherently puts them at risk of being a terrorist. Or that they are "skipping a que" to get on the dole.
Poverty shouldn't be the sole responsibility of NGOs. The very least thing that Australians can do is lobby for policies that protect human rights.
Ethiopia has one of the largest number of NGOs in the world and yet millions still suffer. It scares me to think of the countries with little or no international aid such as Somalia and the DRC.
The Millennium Development goals seem to be completely forgotten. The aim was for countries to give 0.7% of our gross national income by 2015. Australia currently gives 0.37% and has no plans to increase that number to reach the global standard. It's pretty embarrassing to be living in such a selfish country.
Hopefully in my lifetime I will witness a shift in thinking and a greater concern for human rights.

Apologies for such a fucking grim post but I am returning to Australia in a weeks time and think it will be very difficult to readjust.