When did we become a country needing Third-World relief?

The current situation of Indigenous Australians is a matter of great concern which has most recently been discussed in the media following the Government's intervention into rural communities. I doubt many Australian's are infact aware of World Vision's ongoing aid in protecting and preserving our indigenous people. They are currently working in conjunction with community leaders in both the Northern Territory and Western Australia. More specifically, World Vision's online support dictates that the organisation was '...invited by the Wetenngerr community...to work in partnership on health promotion programs and more recently on governance and leadership issues.'

Considering our nation is quite obviously not classed as a third-world country, this is a shocking and unecessary effort which our Government should have recognised many years ago. I realise the Government's current political motivation focuses on the issue of sexual abuse, drugs and alcoholism which is a separate matter which also requires immediate attention. In a recent column appearing in The Sydney Morning Herald, Miranda Devine makes reference to a book by Professor Helen Hughes, stating, "The result (of H.C. Coombs advisory to seven PM's) lis 90,000 people living in Third World conditions, with a life expectancy to match, most of them totally dependent on welfare, with such little education many can’t even speak English.”

In a recent press conference, John Howard defended the timing of his Government's actions, “we’ve been too timid about intervening because we’ll be accused of paternalism and all sorts of other things. Well, frankly, the care and protection of children is more important to me than slavishly following some philosophy or doctrine.”

It seems interesting that the Prime Minister's abrupt call to act has coincided with the approaching election, that his decision to now address the health and lifestyle issues surrounding indigenous aborigines is simply an attempt at political gain.