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Tony Abbott said this week in relation to the Ebola epidemic in West Africa: “As I understand things, the public health systems in some of the West African countries are all but overwhelmed and there’s really not much point deploying Australian personnel over and above those that are already there with the NGOs like Médecins Sans Frontières into a situation without a clear plan and that’s what we need.”
Let's leave aside for a moment Bob Katter's comments about the risks to us in our First World comfort zone of volunteers from Australia going to West Africa to help and then returning to Auatralia and just consider the thinking behind Abbott's words. He cheerfully dismisses our long history of helping others in the world who are in distress and danger and he is oblivious to his recent 'humanitarian' exploits committing our troops to a new war without any 'clear plan' for its outcome.
Is he echoing that nation's thinking? Are we content to let thousands die in Third World conditions and claim to be protecting ourselves when we are a rich, well-resourced and technologically-advanced country? A cynic would suggest that Abbott sees no votes in acting for these poor people and yet claims a strong Christian belief as his guiding principals. Obviously, humanitarianism only goes so far Tony?
The way our current government is going, there will be nothing let of our once proud reputation as a nation who takes seriously it's responsibility to the rest of humanity.
Philip Armour,
Yass