Your messages of support handed to Mark Dreyfus

On Thursday 9 June Oxfam Australia’s Executive Director, Mr Andrew Hewett and our Director of Public Policy, Mr James Ensor, met with Parliamentary Secretary for Climate Change, Mr Mark Dreyfus, MP in Melbourne.

As part of the meeting, Mr Hewett delivered thousands of postcards, individually signed by people like you, our wonderful supporters, to Mr Dreyfus. The postcards all had the same message – it’s time for Australia to get smart on climate change because it’s the cost of inaction that we really can’t afford.

By handing over the postcards Andrew was able to take your messages calling for action direct to the Australian Government. Furthermore, having your signed postcards in this meeting was a powerful way for Mr Hewett to be able to demonstrate that Oxfam’s climate change work (and the level of action we are calling for) has the support of thousands of Australians from around the country.

Thank you to each and every one of you who has supported our climate change work and added your voice. We are still collecting the postcards – so keep an eye out for an Oxfam climate event near you!

The message you sent to Mr Dreyfus:

Increased flood, drought and sea-level rise are some of the impacts Australia and our Asia-Pacific neighbours are experiencing that can be linked to climate change.

The benefits of acting on climate change far outweigh the costs. Smart countries are already investing in their clean energy sectors. Investment in adaptation also makes economic sense and is essential if we are to minimise the devastating impacts of climate change.

The Australian Government should tackle climate change by:

encouraging large-scale investment in clean energy;

supporting poor countries to access low-carbon development technologies; and

contributing our fair share to a UN fund to help poor countries adapt to the impacts of climate change.

This action will be good for the prosperity of Australia and ensure a safe future for children everywhere. It’s the cost of inaction that we really can’t afford.

What you can do: