High Impact Advocacy

Some of our most high impact work is in the realm of political advocacy. Whilst individual organisations can do incredible things by investing directly into developing communities, they really can’t match the scale that governments are able to achieve.

If extreme poverty is ever going to be ended, it will require change at the highest levels of national and international institutions. Developing countries face huge structural barriers that prevent them from being able to trade properly or build up the human capital of their people so that they can lift themselves out of poverty.

That’s why a huge amount of Oaktree’s work is about creating political and institutional level change. A single government decision can dwarf the work of the entire aid and development sector.

In 2007 we ran our MAKEPOVERTYHISTORY ZEROSEVEN Campaign which saw 700 young Australians campaigning around the country in marginal electorates in the lead up to the 2007 Federal Election. At the end of this campaign both Labor and the Coalition committed to increasing Australia’s aid program from 0.33% to 0.5% of our GNI – representing an extra $4.3 billion for the worlds poor annually. Now that’s real impact.

We’re working for a comprehensive pro-poor policy agenda from every political party. This includes:

  • Achieving the international benchmark of 0.7% of our Gross National Income in Overseas Development Assistance.
  • Ensuring Australia’s Aid programs are of the highest standard – effectively and efficiently delivering sustainable development across the world.
  • Making sure Australia plays its role in combating Climate Change – which is going to hit the worlds poorest hardest and first. This includes adopting ambitious carbon emission reduction targets, and contributing our fair share into a climate adaptation and mitigation fund on top of our foreign aid commitments.
  • Ensuring Australia’s trade policies are fair and equitable in allowing developing countries access to our markets.
  • Many other areas, including labour mobility, global leadership, multilateral institutions and more.

To join our campaigns and take action now, head to the Act Now page.