A GROUP of more than 40 people drew interested looks when they marched through the streets of Perth on Friday carrying buckets of water on their heads.
The Oxfam-led march aimed to raise awareness about the need for Australia to offer more aid, with the marchers filling their buckets in Forrest Place before making their way to the office of Federal Finance Minister Mathias Cormann and delivering a petition.
Fremantle Mayor Brad Pettitt, himself a former Oxfam aid worker, was one of those who made the march.
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READ NOWOxfam WA campaign co-ordinator Paddy Cullen said more than 80,000 people had signed up to the campaign calling for Australia to increase aid to 70c in every $100 of gross national income.
“We walked in solidarity with millions of girls who have to spend many hours a day collecting water, which prevents them from attending school, gaining paid employment and participating in community life,” he said.
“Australia’s aid contribution has helped halve global poverty in the last 25 years including supplying water to close to three million people each year.
“It defies belief that we would cut our aid and put so many lives at risk.
“Our aid needs to increase by bucket loads to fulfil the UN commitment signed this year to end extreme poverty by 2030.”