By Rod Benson
The federal government announced on Thursday it will increase funding to churches in Papua New Guinea by $50 million over six years to deliver basic health and education services to the nation’s poorest and most disadvantaged.
Some will see this as an inappropriate compromise of the separation of church and state. But the fact is that the best way to avoid corruption and ensure that funds reach their target is to use the reliable and accountable services of church agencies – agencies that have worked in these locations for decades, and are well placed to get the best value from our tax dollars.
As Foreign Affairs Minister Stephen Smith put it, “Australia’s support for these efforts recognises the vital role churches play in delivering approximately half the country’s health and education programs.”
It’s the story of the Good Samaritan played out in thousands of lives, and we’re all a part of it, wherever our aid dollars go to work.
Broadcast on 2CH Sydney, 11 July 2010.
Image: http://images.smh.com.au/2010/07/07/1679869/PNGmain-420×0.jpg
