The business of ending poverty

Why release a report that merely reduces something that should not exist at all?

In Australia, things are not that different.

How many government programs exist to end poverty and not just reduce it?

Unemployment benefits certainly have not been created to end poverty. The rate is set at below the poverty line. The same can be noted about rent assistance. The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare notes that many receiving it still live in rental stress.

We do have to define the poverty we want to see the end of.

The end of poverty at the very least, is the end of deep poverty. The extreme poverty found not just in low-income countries, but even countries like America.

The people who get by on dollars per day and not just the $1.90 a day metric used by the World Bank.

An amount the Bank was aware would be criticised for being set too low.

Just using the traditional number, however, 10% of the global population, more than 700 million people live in that poverty {2015}. The success at reducing extreme poverty {and there has been success} gets harder as one gets to the poorest in the most remote areas.

The World Bank also has a $3.20 a day metric, resulting in more than a quarter of the world’s population living in poverty. They also have a $5.50 a day metric, resulting in almost half of the world still living in poverty. 

So, the end of poverty in low-income countries defined here is where no soul is living below $5.50 per day.

In Australia, the definition can alter the numbers, depending on if one uses 50% of the median income or 60%. The 60% metric is used here.