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"Financial independence allows the Brotherhood to speak out; to determine its priorities, to develop innovative approaches to issues, and to be flexible enough to adjust to areas of real need. Projects created in these conditions can then become independent, leaving the Brotherhood to get on with other urgent needs. `long-standing commitment to a socially balanced society' This innovative tradition has generated services still thriving today under their own steam - Community Aid Abroad, Family Planning, Legal Aid, and Alcoholics Anonymous are just a few that have become household names in Australia. Both innovation in services and wellresearched policy advocacy have been the hallmarks of the Brotherhood and made it unique among welfare agencies, providing fences at the top of cliffs rather than ambulances at the bottom!" Extract

Source: (Brotherhood Action, Winter 1995)

1953

Food for Peace Campaign

Community Aid Abroad began in Melbourne’s suburbs in 1953 (or 1951 acc to BSL) as a church-affiliated group called Food for Peace Campaign, founded by Father Gerard Kennedy Tucker. The group sent weekly donations to a small health project in India, and eventually, Food for Peace Campaign groups were established throughout Victoria. (BSL 1965, Tucker & BSL HistoryDoc).

Oxfam Australia was born out of a merger between two leading Australian international development agencies — Community Aid Abroad and the Australian Freedom from Hunger Campaign. The Australian Freedom from Hunger Campaign and Community Aid Abroad merged in 1992 to become one of Australia’s largest international development organisations. As a founding member of Oxfam International, they changed our name to Oxfam Community Aid Abroad in 2001 and then to Oxfam Australia in 2005.

[Oxfam website, 20/01/2020]

1962

Food for Peace changes name to Community Aid Abroad (CAA).  David Scott appointed part-time CAA Director in May 1962 with salary funded by Brotherhood of St Laurence as a Brotherhood contribution to international social service. (BSL Annual Report, 1961-1962, p. 13) 

1967

BSL’s Family Planning Clinic established in Fitzroy in July 1967 as a pilot project for low income families.  What had once been a ham & beef shop became in the 1960’s the first comprehensive Family Planning Clinic in Victoria; upstairs offices were provided for the expanding Community Aid Abroad and downstairs later became a new Material Aid Centre.   "The address was between 73-79 Brunswick Street." (BSL Annual Report, 1967-1968, p 8)  "See Janet Paterson in" (Magree C (ed.) 1993, Looking forward, looking back, pp 6-7)

1972

CAA became the Australian affiliate of the international Oxford Committee for Famine Relief (Oxfam) network.

1981

Michael Challen, with Community Aid Abroad staff & National Secretary of the Bank Employees Union, in conversations with ANZ Bank re forgiveness of or moratorium on Third World debt (August 1991 to January 1992)

1991

Merged with Freedom from Hunger, becoming one of Australia's largest development agencies.

1994

Conference Putting Social Development on the Australia-Asia Agenda jointly convened by Community Aid Abroad and the BSL (28 October)

Conference Program: BSL et al. 1994, Putting Social Development on the Australia-Asia Agenda

1995

Michael Challen speaks at the planting of 100 crosses by members of African community (in conjunction with Community Aid Abroad) to mark 12 months since the Rawandan Genocide (6 April)

1996

Informal discussion between BSL and Community Aid Abroad in relation to forming a strategic alliance in areas of advocacy, fundraising and some programs

1997

Along with Community Aid Abroad, the BSL was a beneficiary of the appeal during the 2-hour program Comic Relief (Channel 7, 7 August) (BSL 1997, re_ComicRelief)

Memorandum of Understanding.  BSL 1997, re_ComicRelief

Half a Century of Change: (Oxfam, 2003 Half a Century of Change) 

Oxfam, 2003 Celebrating 50 Years 

BSL 1950?, The Call to Australia is "Action Stations" (Food for Peace Campaign Brochure)

Now! Vol. 1, No. 3 April 1957.

Community Aid Abroad/ Oxfam(Australia) history

https://www.oxfam.org.au/what-we-do/about-us/our-history/

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