Sat, 12:12 10 May 2008 GMT17

 
Tim Costello
Tim Costello has been chief executive of international Christian aid agency World Vision Australia since 2004. Before that he campaigned and wrote books on issues such as gambling, urban poverty, homelessness, reconciliation and substance abuse, after being a Baptist minister. He was awarded the Australian medal Victorian of the Year in 2005, Victorian Australian of the Year in 2005, and in June 2005 was made an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO).
Impartial agencies should be allowed to distribute aid
10 May 2008 11:30:00 GMT
Author: Tim Costello

Imagine this: a massive cyclone sweeps up and over low-lying coastal areas, swamping homes and utterly transforming the landscape. Flooding wreaks havoc and days later whole regions remain inaccessible. The number of dead and missing rises dramatically every hour. The sheer volume of debris and destruction triggers feelings of hopelessness and despair – how to know where to start?

Then in the country's hour of need, the government reaches out for help, and the world responds. More than 60 countries offer money, goods, and expertise to help the victims of the cyclone.

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