Agreeing to Agree and not Disagree

USPA NEWS - The Liberal National Coalition has joined the Labor Party and the Greens in confirming their commitment to the implementation of the United Nations´ 17 Global Goals for Sustainable Development to advocacy group, the Global Goals Australia Campaign.

In welcoming the commitment, the organisation's Canberra-based CEO, Caterina Sullivan, said it had been a struggle to get all three parties to acknowledge the Global Goals are not just about overseas aid. "The signing up to the Global Goals by Foreign Minister Julie Bishop last year committed Australia to achieving the 169 targets that cover the 17 goals on a domestic level as well as supporting less developed countries," Ms Sullivan said today. She explained the goals covered a diverse range of areas in which Australia still had work to do but welcomed the policies announced by all three parties over the election campaigning period, which aim to address some of these issues.

"Goal 4 focuses on Quality Education, and, although we have a high standard of education, it is generally agreed that we have slipped behind international standards," said Ms Sullivan. "Similar situations exist with other goals such as Gender Equality, Affordable & Clean Energy, and Industry, Innovation & Infrastructure, all of which have been a major focus in the election campaign.“ Ms Sullivan has vowed to keep pressure on whoever forms government after the election on Saturday to ensure the achievement of the Global Goals at all levels of government. Her organisation is also working closely with business groups and individual businesses to encourage their adoption of the goals. A strong grassroots campaign is still being rolled out to promote the involvement of everyone in the campaign.

John F Kennedy once said, "Let us not seek the Republican answer or the Democratic answer, but the right answer. Let us not seek to fix the blame for the past. Let us accept our own responsibility for the future."
Ban Ki-moon is a South Korean statesman and politician who is the eighth and current Secretary-General of the United Nations, he was quoted in saying , " Saving our planet, lifting people out of poverty, advancing economic growth... these are one and the same fight. We must connect the dots between climate change, water scarcity, energy shortages, global health, food security and women's empowerment. Solutions to one problem must be solutions for all."

Perhaps Australian politicians are learning from Global Citizens ....Namaste