News and Publications

  • Copenhagen outcomes for the world's poor

    22 December, 2009

    Micah Challenge Australia welcomes the acknowledgement of most world leaders at Copenhagen that rich nations, with historically high carbon emissions, have a moral responsibility to help people in poverty adapt to the effects of climate change. Rising sea levels and changing weather conditions are already threatening food supplies and access to safe water, endangering lives, destroying island homes and cultures and displacing some of our poorest global neighbours.

    There is, however, widespread disappointment at the deal brokered by world leaders at Copenhagen. While the commitment by a vast majority of leaders to keep warming below 2 degrees centigrade is encouraging, the current Copenhagen deal, with the absence of concrete targets, cannot guarantee a limit on warming. That spells disastrous effects for the world's poor. Click here to read more (download media release as Word document).

    Click here for the Micah Challenge Climate Justice campaign page.

  • Voices for Justice media coverage

    18 September, 2009

    Click the links below to view media articles discussing Voices for Justice. Please leave comments and ratings where possible. If you came to Voices for Justice, please don't forget to contact your local media.

    Local media articles:
    - The Bush Telegraph (Click to download. See page 5)
    - The Westerner (Brisbane. Article made the front page.)
    - St George and Sutherland Leader
    - Berwick and District Journal
    - South Sydney Herald (click to download. See page 7)
    - Hawkesbury Courier (click to download)
    - Central Coast Express Advocate
    - Kiewa Valley Observer (click to download)
    - Moonee Valley Community News
    - Berwick News
    - Redcliffe and Bayside Herald (click to download)
    - Bayside and Northern Suburbs Star (click to download)
    - Inner West Courier
    - Manly-Manado
    - Blacktown Advocate
    - Wagga Daily (click to download)

    Christian and denominational media articles:
    - Eternity Christian newspaper
    - Journey Uniting Church QLD (click to download - Page 6)
    - YMIS website
    - Uniting World
    - Anglican News Canberra & Goulburn (click to download - Page 13 & 16)
    - Ekklesia (UK)
    - Cath News
    - Salvation Army
    - Melbourne Anglican
    - Eureka Street
    - Christian Today
    - Sight Magazine
    - Lyn Lusi's speech on Sight
    - Australian Christian Channel

    Radio:
    - John Beckett on ABC Sunday Nights (podcast)
    - JB on on ABC Sunday Nights (blog)
    - John Beckett on ABC Brisbane
    - Carlyn Chen on Sonshine FM
    - Tim Costello on climate change & the poor on ABC

    Other Websites:
    - Politicians discuss Micah Challenge on Twitter
    - Photos on AAP website
    - 5th Birthday Party photo on Bob McMullan's site

    PM and Turnbull launch poverty and justice bible:
    - Sydney Morning Herald
    - Ninemsn
    - Christian Today
    - SMH
    - Brisbane Times

    Mr. Rudd's Speech:
    - World Vision (video)
    - eGovt monitor website
    - Sojourners website

    Mr. Turnbull's Speech:
    - Liberal Party website
    - Reverse PR website

    Articles mentioning 0.7% and/or climate change:
    - The Age
    - WA Today
    - Brisbane Times
    - ABC (radio)

    Blogs:
    - Servant
    - The ONE campaign
    - Bishop John
    - Gordon Moyes
    - Wotnews
    - Micah Challenge faith and creation blog
    - John Mark Ministries
    - Legal forums discussion gateway

  • Voices for Justice update

    17 September, 2009

    On Monday 14 and Tuesday 15 September, grassroots supporters of the Micah Challenge campaign held 129 private appointments with MPs and Senators - well over half of all of Australian elected representatives - as part of the annual 'Voices for Justice' gathering. The 270 participants who voiced their concerns about global poverty ranged in age from 13 to 71 years and had traveled to Parliament House Canberra from all over Australia. Many had never lobbied their Member of Parliament before.

    Prime Minister Kevin Rudd addressed the gathering as he and the Opposition leader breakfasted with Micah Challenge supporters at the launch of a new edition of the bible, highlighting the thousands of verses that address poverty and justice. Mr Rudd spoke enthusiastically of the work of Micah Challenge, describing it as 'significant':

    "Micah Challenge has formed a coalition of more than 30 Christian aid and development agencies in Australia, embracing Catholic, Protestant and Pentecostal traditions of the Christian faith. More than 101,000 Australians have signed the Micah call in Australia, a personal statement of commitment to work to the ending of global poverty. And the Micah Challenge is of course running the Voices for Justice campaign that's brought to Canberra 270 people from every state and territory, representing churches and schools in cities, regional and country areas."

    In his speech Mr Turnbull also offered his support of the campaign.
    "On behalf of the Opposition, can I congratulate each and every one of you for your dedication and your commitment to speaking up for those who cannot speak for themselves", he said.

    But despite this bi-partisan show of goodwill towards the concept poverty reduction, neither party have made a commitment to meeting the International Aid Target of 0.7% of Gross National Income (GNI). This figure, agreed to by all UN nations in 2000 and reaffirmed by Australia on multiple occasions since, represents just 70cents out of every hundred dollars of our national income.

    Micah Challenge supporters express deep concern that Australia is still not doing its 'fair share' to halve global poverty and have come to Canberra to call our nation's leaders to account. "We are here because we passionately believe that Australia can and should be doing more to help our global neighbours in need." said Micah Challenge National Coordinator, Mr John Beckett.

    "We have heard enough excuses about why we can't do our fair share. As we have seen with the Global Financial Crisis, the developed world is able to find the funds to address an important cause. Well, we believe that the 1.4billion people still living in extreme poverty, on less than $1.25 a day, represent not just an important cause, but a moral cause as well." said Mr Beckett.

    "We call both the Government and the Opposition to make a firm and timetabled commitment to increasing Australia's giving to the world's poorest to 0.7% of national income." he said.

    Micah Challenge supporters will continue to challenge the Government on this issue in the lead up to the next election. The campaign is calling churches, schools and community groups to hold 'Survive Past Five' 5th Birthday Parties in every electorate across Australia, to advocate for the 8.8 million children who die before their fifth birthday annually. Federal politicians will be invited to attend the birthday parties and to light a candle on the cake in support of reducing child mortality rates.

    Voices for Justice opened on Monday with campaign supporters joining together in a peaceful protest calling for an end to global poverty. Almost 6000 personal, handwritten letters to the Prime Minister delivered to Parliament House by rickshaw, representing the voices of thousands of Christians around the country who believe that justice is an essential expression of their faith.

  • Foreign Affairs Minister reponds to Mothers day action

    10 August, 2009

    In June, Micah Challenge coalition representatives delivered more than 10 thousand Mothers day cards to Parliament House. If you signed a Mothers Day card, congratulations! Micah Challenge recently received a letter from the Foreign Affairs Minister, the Hon Stephen Smith MP, acknowledging your efforts. The official response states in part:

    "The Australian Government shares the Micah Challenge's deep concern about the maternal and child health challenges facing our region. The 10 567 maternal health postcards received by the Government indicate that this is a concern also shared by the Australian public...

    ...Within the Government's overall commitment to increasing aid spending [to 0.5%GNI], health expenditure in the aid program is increasing both in dollar terms and as a proportion of the aid program... Thank you for bringing your concerns to my attention."

    Click here to download a PDF of the full response from Stephen Smith.

    (ABOVE: Micah Challenge supporter, Fiona Grech presents Mothers Day cards to Stephen Smith at Community Cabinet Meeting. Click here to read Fiona's story.)
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