74,000+ Strong Movement to End Poverty petition handed to Minister for International Development Melissa Parke.

On World Humanitarian Day (Monday 19 August), Oxfam Australia’s Board Chair, Dr Jane Hutchison and Oaktree WA State Director, Simon Bunstead handed over the Movement to End Poverty petition, signed by 74,725 people, to the Minister for International Development, Melissa Parke.

The petition handover was the culmination of more than 40 forums nationwide in the lead-up to the federal election, aimed at encouraging all political parties to increase Australia’s contribution to overseas aid.

Melissa Parke has been a big supporter of the campaign but Australia currently gives half the United Nations recommendation, and recent cuts to promise increases have been disappointing.

This election, we are asking our nation’s leaders to lift their aid commitment in line with the United Nations recommendation of investing 0.7 per cent of gross national income in overseas aid by 2020. The first step is for the major parties to deliver their promise of reaching 0.5 per cent of national income for overseas aid by 2016.