The cost of living crisis, post-COVID pandemic debt, the climate emergency and the alarming level of species extinctions are urgent problems that all governments should prioritise.
Yet Australia has committed a whopping 386 billion dollars for six nuclear powered submarines under the AUKUS deal to secure stronger military ties with the US and UK, despite bitter lessons from the war in Ukraine.
Essentially, this is a multi-billion dollar contribution for the military industrial complex. Never mind that it directly undermines our commitment to a nuclear-free Pacific while inflaming geopolitical tensions by sending the message that Australia is preparing for major armed conflicts.
For over three decades, Aid/Watch has been a critical voice that continues to hold our Government to account, ensuring that Australian aid and foreign policy truly contribute to ecological sustainability, peaceful international relations, just transition and nation building of our developing neighbours.
With your support, we will continue to collaborate with partners and allies to work in solidarity with front line communities and social change movements through research, peace building campaigns and advocacy efforts.
This EOFY Appeal we hope you can continue to donate big or small to reach our modest target of $8,000
Your donation will go toward:
– A series of webinars and briefing papers on the militarization of aid. Make sure to register for our first webinar in the series on 8 July 2024.
– Continued engagement with frontline communities who are facing destructive extractivism and exploitation. This includes preparation of a complaint under the Stop Lynas campaign and in collaboration with other groups to lodge with the Australian National Contact Point responsible for overseeing the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises
– Aid Talks podcasts in collaboration with Reality of Aid-Asia Pacific
– Collaboration on campaigns, research and events with partners including the Asia Pacific Research Network, Reality of Aid-Asia Pacific and Yes to Life No to Mining global solidarity network.
In Solidarity,
Lee Tan
Policy Coordinator
Aid/Watch
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P.S. Make sure to listen to our Aid Talks podcast – Going Back to Basics: The ABCs of ODA with Haje Schutte, OECD-DAC, Jiten Yumman, Center for Research and Advocacy Manipur (CRAM) and Prof. Susan Engel, University of Wollongong
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