Media Centre

‘Extra help’ of $305 million is on the way for Pacific and Timor-Leste in a special Aid Budget

News that Australia has announced vital new spending to support the Pacific and Timor-Leste respond to the COVID-19 crisis is being welcomed today by the End COVID For All Campaign, but humanitarian agencies have warned the overall aid budget still needs to be increased to meet the needs facing our region.

$80m pledge to COVAX AMC positive step on the road towards Ending COVID For All but aid budget must grow

Australia’s major humanitarian organisations, as a part of the End COVID For All campaign, have welcomed news that the Australian Government has pledged $80 million to the COVAX Advance Market Commitment (AMC) to ensure vulnerable nations get early access to a safe and effective coronavirus vaccine, but have cautioned the use of funds from the existing aid budget.

Celebrities, health workers, everyday Aussies stand in solidarity with vulnerable nations tackling COVID-19 on day Government announces free vaccine for Australians

Australia’s major humanitarian organisations have joined with church leaders, businesses and health organisations in their mission to ‘End COVID For All’. 

With news this morning that the Government has an agreement to secure vaccines for Australians, aid organisations leading the charge on the ‘End COVID For All’ campaign said it was encouraging to hear the Prime Minister bring assurance that Australia would look to secure early access to the vaccine for regional neighbours.

Tim Costello: Pacific Step Up Is Pinching Money from the Poor in Asia

Tim Costello today said it was clear Australia had backed down from its responsibilities in Southeast Asia. 

“I’ve said from the start the Pacific Step Up should not come at the cost of stepping down elsewhere in the world but sadly, it already has.” 

Tim Costello: This Aid Reset is about the whole of our nation

Tim Costello, Micah Australia’s Executive Director, has welcomed the reset of Australia’s international development policy, saying this is an opportunity to canvass Australia’s role in the world. 

“The opportunity to review aid isn’t simply about the Pacific or about dollars and figures, it’s also about soft diplomacy and deepening our relationships in the Indo-Pacific.” 

Pacific church Leaders join two-hundred Australians Christians in Parliament to discuss what it means to be a part of the 'Pacific family'

Over two hundred Australian Christians, joined by 15 Pacific Church leaders, are in Parliament today to share their support for Australian Aid and discuss what the Pacific Step Up means for Pacific people. Led by Tim Costello, almost 100 face-to-face meetings with the nation’s politicians, including Senior Ministers, will be held as a part of the Voices for Justice Conference, hosted by Micah Australia.

Christian Women Advocate for Pacific Women and Children in Historic visit to Canberra

40 women leaders from Australia’s leading church denominations and Christian organisations have joined together for an historic visit to Canberra today, addressing in part the shocking levels of violence toward women and children in the Pacific while asking elected leaders to reinforce partnership efforts with the Australian and Pacific church. With every mainline denomination represented, the cohort is the largest delegation of female Christian leaders to travel to the Parliament.

Christians welcome Scott Morrison as PM, but will expect more of him

Micah Australia has today offered congratulations to Prime Minister Scott Morrison and his party on the federal election results.  “Now that Mr Morrison has been given such a clear mandate to lead, there will be many Christians and Christian organisations, Micah included, that will be looking to him for strong vision and policy on Australia being a more compassionate and generous nation.”

There is good news on the horizon after another kick in the guts for aid

Tim Costello has today welcomed the Parliament’s Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade first report for the inquiry into Australia’s aid program in the Indo-Pacific. 

“After another devastating blow to the aid budget this week, there is finally some good news on the horizon.” 

Tim Costello asks 'When will our government believe we have enough to start being generous again?'

Tim Costello, Executive Director of Micah Australia today expressed concern about the lack of care for the world's poor, saying his expectation for the aid budget is it will continue to be kept at its lowest level ever in history. 

"When the first budget surplus in over a decade is delivered tonight, sadly, I don’t think it will be good news for the poor.” 

Aid Program continues to be treated like an ‘ATM’ says Tim Costello

Despite delivering a budget surplus, the Coalition has chosen to keep aid at its least generous level.  

“This is not surprising from a government who have lost sight of our nation’s role as a global neighbour and treated our aid program like an ATM.” said Tim Costello, Executive Director Micah Australia.  

Tim Costello welcomes strong vision for Aid outlined by ALP

Tim Costello, Micah Australia’s Executive Director, has welcomed Labor’s clear vision for Australian aid, as outlined by Senator Wong, including boosted funding to the Australian NGO Cooperation Program (ANCP). 

Labor promise to lift foreign aid welcomed by Christians across Australia

Today’s announcement that a Labor government would put a stop to the years of cuts to the aid budget, has been welcomed by Christians across the nation as a good platform from which to start the rebuilding Australia’s aid program. “This is a welcomed step in the right direction, and one that the Christian community has been advocating on passionately and persistently this year,” said Tim Costello, Micah Australia’s Executive Director.

Labor commitment of $500 million to UNHCR a welcome announcement for world’s most vulnerable

Micah Australia has today welcomed the announcement that a Labor Government would commit $500 million over five years to the work of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.  “With an unprecedented 68.5 million displaced people around the world, this is a very welcome announcement and one that was advocated for by Micah delegates during our Voices for Justice Conference in Canberra two weeks ago,” said Tim Costello, Executive Director of Micah Australia.

Voices for Justice 2018 kicks off with 200 Christians in Parliament

Over two hundred Australians from across the country will descend on Parliament House on Monday to share their concern for the world’s poor, oppressed, and displaced. Led by Tim Costello, 80 face-to-face meetings with the nation’s politicians will be held as a part of the Voices for Justice Conference, hosted by Micah Australia. 

Christian Women Leaders Unite in Historic Trip to Canberra

20/09/2018

Women leaders from across the denominations of Australia’s churches and Christian organisations have come together for an historic visit to Canberra today. In addition to advocating for policies of justice, the cohort will meet with Senior Ministers and Members of Parliament from both political parties.

Tim Costello calls Australian Christians to Canberra to advocate for the world’s poor at Voices for Justice 2018

15/08/2018

Hundreds of Christians from across the nation will gather in Canberra from 1-4 December this year, for four powerful days of training, prayer, worship and political advocacy at Voices for Justice Conference.

Australians still believe aid budget is almost 14 times more than what it is

Micah Australia today said Lowy Institute polling released this week shows Australians are comfortable with and actually expect, a much higher aid budget. The 2018 Lowy Institute Poll found that Australians on average think that 14% of the budget is spent on aid, while they say 10% should be spent on aid.

We can do more; A message from concerned young Australians as Australian aid falls to record low

8/5/18

Aid Advocacy group Micah Australia asks 'When will our government believe we have enough so we can start being generous again?'

Join us at the table, we have plenty to share

7/5/18

A message from concerned young Australians on the week of the Federal Budget: As the nation wakes on the morning after the federal budget is delivered, young adults from the advocacy group, Micah Australia, will be hosting a banquet on the front lawns of Parliament House to call for a fairer deal for the world’s poor.

Micah Australia is back in year crucial for the world’s poor

19/02/2018

Australian aid cuts make us the least generous we've ever been

3/05/2016

The Micah Australia coalition of churches and Christian agencies is deeply disappointed at the Government’s decision to proceed with the scheduled $224 million aid cut in the 2016-2017 Federal Budget.

Australia's Christian Leaders Call on Treasurer to Stop the Clock on Aid Cuts

20/04/2016

In an open letter to Treasurer Scott Morrison published in The Australian today, leaders of Australia’s 12 Christian denominations called on the Turnbull Government to “Stop the Clock” on the scheduled $224 million cut to the aid budget. Leaders voiced their concern that a failure to act now will see the aid budget fall to its lowest ever level in Australian history.