THERE is no doubt that mining can stimulate economic growth and bring prosperity. But without a commitment to human rights and sustainability, and without regulation, transparency and accountability, it can also cause people to lose their land and way of life, while irreparably damaging the environment. Read full release »
In Africa, location of this year’s UN Climate Summit, severe climate events are also impacting on people’s ability to grow food. More than 13 million people in Kenya, Somalia and Ethiopia are facing desperate food shortages following the worst drought in 60 years. Read full release »
We are half a world away from the UN Climate Change Negotiations in Durban, but our fate is intertwined with the outcome of this South African meeting. Read full release »
Australia's narrow foreign policy and security interests can't be the driving force behind its engagement in disaster management. Read full release »
It took the international "summit season", a visit by US President Barack Obama and the prospect of a reversal on our ban on sales of uranium to India to finally put foreign affairs on the national political landscape. Read full release »
As Australians gathered at barbecues, sporting grounds, or in front of television screens across the country for Grand Final weekend, half way across the globe, the latest round of UN climate negotiations got underway without fanfare in Panama. Read full release »
In Australia and around the world, we are observing new global gold rush, but today it is in pursuit of land. Governments and investors are rushing to buy agricultural plots outside their own borders for future food supplies and as investments. Read full release »
Today is World Humanitarian Day – a day set aside to honour aid workers who provide help to millions of people around the world. But it's also an opportunity to pause and reflect on the work we do, why we do it and more importantly how our work is changing. Read full release »
Everywhere you go, climate change and the Government’s proposal to put a price on carbon pollution is being talked about. There is no doubting this is a significant issue for Australia and the world, however the conversation in Australia is laced with myths. Read full release »
Everywhere you go, climate change and the Government’s proposal to put a price on carbon pollution is being talked about. There is no doubting this is a significant issue for Australia and the world, however the conversation in Australia is laced with myths. Read full release »
Now signed and sealed, the Australia-Malaysia asylum seeker-refugee transfer deal is about to be delivered with the imminent deportation of the first group of asylum seekers from Christmas Island. In the meantime, many are asking whether the agreement will work. The answer to this all depends, of course, on how you frame the problem. Read full release »
Although Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are less than 3 per cent of Australia's population, they make up more than 10 per cent of current NRL players. But while Aboriginal players are among the NRL's brightest stars, the situation for our people off the field is vastly different. Read full release »
In just over four weeks, more than 2000 people will gather in Sydney to take part in the Oxfam Trailwalker 100km endurance challenge to raise money for Oxfam's work to fight poverty around the world. Read full release »
Everyone in Pakistan agrees that better preparation for disasters is a good idea. But making it happen is another matter. It needs money. It needs experts. It needs time between disasters for a country to recover and then plan ahead for the next situation. Read full release »
While the process of appointing Christine Lagarde has damaged the IMF's credibility, she now has the power to restore the fund's credibility and transparency. Read full release »
In the wake of World Refugee Week, the recent television phenomenon of the SBS documentary Go Back to Where You Came From and in the year of the 60th anniversary of the Refugee Convention, it is now more timely than ever to reflect on Australia's approach to the treatment of asylum-seekers. Read full release »
Deciding how and where to deliver aid has always been a tricky business. In Australia, as in other rich countries, politics, national priorities and commercial objectives have frequently jockeyed for influence. Read full release »
In the city of Pune in western India more than 6000 families survive on rubbish. They live on the money earned by workers - most of whom are women - who collect, sort and sell waste to scrap traders. Exclusively from low-caste groups, often known as ''untouchables'', these waste pickers are vulnerable to extreme poverty, including disease and hunger. Read full release »
The budget is a win, but other avenues need to be explored. Read full release »
The Close the Gap Campaign aims to close the ten to 17-year life-expectancy gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians’ within a generation. Founded in 2006, it marks its fifth anniversary today. Read full release »