July 2007 - MDG half-time month of action

6 August 2007

July was a big month for the Pointseven campaign as we marked the half time point of the Millennium Development Goals - the new century's initiative to significantly reduce poverty by 2015.

Former All Blacks Captain Andy Leslie presenting Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters with an MDG half-time certificate. Photo: Peter Bush

Some of the MPs who received Fair Play Awards at Parliament. Photo: Peter Bush

Green Co-leader Jeanette Fitzsimons receiving a box of oranges - a half time incentive for politicians to play hard and fair to get to the MDH goal line by 2015.

While we saw it as an opportunity to thank some of the Members of Parliament that have supported the campaign, it was also a time to remind our politicians that New Zealand still has a long way to go to meet its aid promises.

The message was clear - we've done okay but we still need to do better in the second half.

Parliament, in recognition of his efforts to get a big aid increase this year. (see attached photos)

The awards were presented by sports commentator, John McBeth, along with for All Blacks Captain and current President of the New Zealand Rugby Football Union, Andy Leslie. Celebrated sports photographer Peter Bush was also there with his camera.

The Prime Minister also received an acknowledgment for leading a party committed to giving 0.35 percent by 2010. Of course, key members of parties that support our total goal of giving 0.7 percent in aid by 2015 were also awarded Fair Play certificates. They were Peter Dunne from United Future, Keith Locke from the Greens and Jim Anderton from the Progressives.

About 80 members of the NGO community and about 25 MPs came to the celebration. It was hosted jointly by the Council for International Development and MP Steve Chadwick, who Chairs the New Zealand Parliamentarians' Group on Population and Development - a cross-party group of MPs that promote development issues including advocating for Pointseven.

But as well as taking time to celebrate, politicians were also given a reminder of how far we've got to go to reach the Pointseven target.

Oranges were a theme throughout the month.

Many of the country's MPs were visited by Pointseven supporters who presented them with oranges - as an incentive to play harder in the second half in order to ensure New Zealand reaches the goal of giving 0.7 percent of Gross National Income (GNI) in aid by 2015.

The Millennium Development Goals, signed by 189 nations including New Zealand, are a series of eight clearly defined targets to reduce poverty, disease and hunger.

Until recently New Zealand had an appalling level of overseas aid. The 2007 Budget saw a significant increase in our aid level - up to 0.3 percent of GNI - but still not enough to put us on target to reach the promise of giving 0.7 percent in international aid by 2015.