CAMPAIGN IMPACT REPORT - The Oaktree Foundation

We need to do more, and quickly, with 1.4 billion people in extreme poverty and
just five years to achieve the Millennium Development Goals by 2015.
> MIKE SYMON, MP FOR DEAKIN, CANBERRA
THE MAKEPOVERTYHISTORY ROADTRIP WAS THE
LARGEST EVER YOUTH-RUN CAMPAIGN OF ITS KIND.
IN JUST 7 DAYS, ONE THOUSAND YOUNG PEOPLE
BECAME INFORMED, PASSIONATE ADVOCATES FOR
A WORLD FREE OF EXTREME POVERTY.
With Roadtrips leaving from 9 different locations, we
mobilised unprecedented community and political
support. 47,091 people signed our petition, the
Act to End Poverty. The Act was then passed as a
motion through the Senate and then the House of
Representatives.
We had coverage in every major Australian
newspaper, hundreds of local papers and every major
TV network—with a reach of 12,804,970 readers and
4,236,322 television viewers and radio listeners.
Over the Roadtrip, our engagement was personal and
wide reaching. We ran dozens of community events,
including electoral forums, speaking engagements,
school and church visits and media stunts.
All 1000 ambassadors then gathered in Canberra for a
massive two-day summit. Ambassadors met with over
140 political representatives at a breakfast for MPs and
they heard a number of high-profile speakers involved
in the movement including:
> Stephen Smith, Minister for Foreign Affairs
> Tim Costello, CEO of World Vision and Co-Chair of
the Make Poverty History Coalition
> Scott Morrison, Shadow Minister for Immigration
> Hugh Evans, CEO of the Global Poverty Project and
founder of The Oaktree Foundation
> Malcolm Turnbull, MP for Wentworth and former
Leader of the Opposition
> Bob McMullan, Parliamentary Secretary for
Overseas Development Assistance
> Marc Purcell, Executive Director of Australian
Council for International Development (ACFID)
> Amanda McKenzie, National Director of the
Australian Youth Climate Coalition (AYCC)
> Chris Varney and Samah Hadid, 2009 and 2010
Youth Representatives to the United Nations
Since 1990, we have
already more than
halved extreme poverty.
Twenty years ago,
42% of the world was
living in extreme
poverty; that is down
just over 20% today.
However, the
MAKEPOVERTYHISTORY
coalition exists because
we believe that we can
do better: we believe
that within our lifetime,
we can fully eradicate
extreme poverty.
I was inspired beyond my imagination by the passion so many young Australians have.
It made me realise that opinions by those under 26 do actually count and are noticed.
> ROADTRIP AMBASSADOR
The MAKEPOVERTYHISTORY Roadtrip was an initiative of the Oaktree Foundation,
one of 60 organisations that comprise the MAKEPOVERTYHISTORY coalition.