Disaster risk reduction work carried out since the Boxing Day Tsunami would save thousands of lives if the waves hit again today, but the Australian Government’s cuts to foreign aid pose a risk to future work on disaster preparation in our region.
With the latest retail figures predicting spending will hit $45 billion this Christmas, Oxfam are urging consumers to think ethically when making purchases.
This afternoon the Government has decided to release the Mid Year Economic and Fiscal Outlook (MYEFO) figures.
As our statement earlier this morning predicted, MYEFO has resulted in a third large cut to Australia’s aid budget in just one year.
Reported cuts of $3.7 billion from the foreign aid budget by the Abbott Government on top of the $7.6billion in cuts already made are both cruel and un-strategic and represent the third broken promise from this government on aid levels, Oxfam said today.
Australia was one of the worst offenders when it came to throwing up roadblocks and frustrating progress at the UN climate talks which concluded late today with little progress.
Oxfam today welcomed the Australian Government’s announcement it will contribute $200 million over 4 years to the Green Climate Fund, but said Australia still had a long way to go to make a fair contribution to global efforts to tackle climate change.
Oxfam rapid assessment teams have been deployed to survey the immediate needs of evacuees forced to flee tropical storm Hagupit, to ensure those who have lost their homes don’t lose their health as well. Teams have been assessing the damage in Eastern Samar and found many houses damaged and people vulnerable to further risks. Working […]
Australia must step up to play a positive role at the UN Climate Change Negotiations in Lima, or risk falling further behind the rest of the world on climate change action. As Foreign Minister Julie Bishop arrives in Lima for the second week of talks, Oxfam is highlighting that Australia is one of the countries that has […]
As Typhoon Hagupit slowly pushes its way across the Philippines, international aid agency Oxfam is working to ensure clean water and sanitation for affected communities and the hundreds of thousands of people seeking refuge in evacuation centres.
Typhoon Hagupit has struck the Philippines, making landfall in Eastern Samar, pummelling the coastal communities with 210km/h winds. Oxfam is ready to dispatch rapid assessment teams to survey the damage left in its path, and assess and respond to the greatest needs.