Doing one's bit for poverty

Julie McCrossin (Life Matters, ABC RN, today) interviewed Prof. Jeffrey D Sachs from the Earth Institute at Columbia University, who was speaking from Senegal.

Prof. Sachs handled the interview well as he passionately advocated the rich nations helping the abjectly poor people of the world. This was quite a feat, as McCrossin gave him the third degree with the usual canards about aid agencies being inept and donors never knowing where the money goes. In short, the interview was an embarrassment.

McCrossin, by the way, is the same presenter who within the past few months broadcast the fact that she had never seen an Afghan woman who wasn't wearing a burqua.

One would think that Auntie ABC should realise which of their presenters are out of their depth with such pressing global issues. Prof. Sachs's work is all about trying to prevent millions of unnecessary deaths, and he deserves to be interviewed not only with great respect, but with a sympathetic and well-researched attitude, not with the sort of aid-bashing questions one hears in the worst pubs.