Lila64
Blue Crack Distributor
As posted here: http://www.news.com.au/entertainment/story/0,23663,20715546-10388,00.html
U2 lead singer and human rights activist Bono says he wants a word with Prime Minister John Howard about boosting Australia's aid to poor countries.
The Irish rock star, whose band opens its Australian tour in Brisbane tonight, said wealthy countries should donate a bigger percentage of their gross domestic product to help combat global poverty, particularly in Africa.
But he said he wouldn't meet Mr Howard if he wasn't serious about the issue.
"I wanted to talk to your PM about Africa and also the commitment to 0.7 per cent, which is a big thing," Bono said during a sound check at the Queensland Sports and Athletics Centre last night.
"A lot of people in this country have signed on the idea of spending 0.7 per cent of GDP on the world's poor.
"I'm not that fussed and if he would like to meet me, if he is serious about 0.7 per cent, then I'm sure we'll find out about it and I would be very pleased to meet him.
"If he's not serious, I don't want to meet him."
Bono said the Make Poverty History campaign - a coalition of aid agencies, community groups and celebrities - was doing a "great job".
"I think the Prime Minister is looking on it and taking it very seriously but again, you Australians have to give him permission to spend your money," he said.
"I wouldn't dare to tell Australians what to do. I can only (say) what other countries are doing."
Around 50,000 people are expected at U2's concert tonight at the Centre, formerly ANZ Stadium, in Brisbane's south.
Their last major concert was at River Plate Stadium in Buenos Aires in early March.
They flew from there to Sydney but headed home without playing a show after a band member's relative became ill.
Bono said they were excited about kick-starting their Australian tour and he was overwhelmed by U2's Australian following.
"They're very passionate about music," he said.
"I mean, the strange thing is to travel this distance and to find people so familiar ... not just because of the Irish blood that's down here, but I think it's just a certain way of seeing the world."
Bono said U2's music was political but it had to be careful about being "too preachy".
"These are dangerous times that we're living in. We've got troops over there in Iraq, these are serious times and I think our music reflects that," he said.
U2 lead singer and human rights activist Bono says he wants a word with Prime Minister John Howard about boosting Australia's aid to poor countries.
The Irish rock star, whose band opens its Australian tour in Brisbane tonight, said wealthy countries should donate a bigger percentage of their gross domestic product to help combat global poverty, particularly in Africa.
But he said he wouldn't meet Mr Howard if he wasn't serious about the issue.
"I wanted to talk to your PM about Africa and also the commitment to 0.7 per cent, which is a big thing," Bono said during a sound check at the Queensland Sports and Athletics Centre last night.
"A lot of people in this country have signed on the idea of spending 0.7 per cent of GDP on the world's poor.
"I'm not that fussed and if he would like to meet me, if he is serious about 0.7 per cent, then I'm sure we'll find out about it and I would be very pleased to meet him.
"If he's not serious, I don't want to meet him."
Bono said the Make Poverty History campaign - a coalition of aid agencies, community groups and celebrities - was doing a "great job".
"I think the Prime Minister is looking on it and taking it very seriously but again, you Australians have to give him permission to spend your money," he said.
"I wouldn't dare to tell Australians what to do. I can only (say) what other countries are doing."
Around 50,000 people are expected at U2's concert tonight at the Centre, formerly ANZ Stadium, in Brisbane's south.
Their last major concert was at River Plate Stadium in Buenos Aires in early March.
They flew from there to Sydney but headed home without playing a show after a band member's relative became ill.
Bono said they were excited about kick-starting their Australian tour and he was overwhelmed by U2's Australian following.
"They're very passionate about music," he said.
"I mean, the strange thing is to travel this distance and to find people so familiar ... not just because of the Irish blood that's down here, but I think it's just a certain way of seeing the world."
Bono said U2's music was political but it had to be careful about being "too preachy".
"These are dangerous times that we're living in. We've got troops over there in Iraq, these are serious times and I think our music reflects that," he said.
yeah i can see howard saying i will do this, that and all the rest 
see what we have to put up with *shakes head*
oh dear
maybe johnny is bi-polar
