News

The latest news from Australian Red Cross.

World Re-start a Heart Day 2019

How much do you know about your heart? Test your knowledge. Then check the answers at the bottom of the page and sign up to learn how to re-start a heart.

Red Cross prison wellbeing program launches in Perth

An internationally acclaimed Red Cross program which improves the safety and wellbeing of prisoners has launched in Perth’s Acacia Prison,.

The humanitarian cost of climate change

A new Red Cross report outlines the human toll and financial costs of doing nothing as natural disasters increase as a result of climate change.

Movies to change the way you see the world, part 2

Because you loved our first list of must-watch movies we’ve created part two: 17 movies with messages we think are worth sharing.

Climate change is a humanitarian issue

We need to act now to support communities adapt to a changing climate.

Bringing family together after the horrors of war

Hayfa is on a search to find her husband. She last saw him when they were separated by fighters in their Yazidi village, in northern Iraq.

Walking the tightrope to avoid a forgotten crisis in Cox’s Bazar

Anniversaries matter. Birthdays, weddings, anniversaries of the death of loved ones have a deep resonance for most of us.

The sludge is clearing after two years in Bangladesh camps

Trudging through muddy tracks in the monsoon rains to relief distribution sites, dilapidated bamboo retaining walls hold up precarious slopes of clay.

A message from our new Patron

Statement from His Excellency General The Honourable David Hurley AC DSC (retired), Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia and Patron of the Australian Red Cross Society.

The Geneva Conventions, Lego and Road Runner turn 70

In 1949, Australia’s population had just hit 8 million, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights was brand new, Joan Sutherland was starting out, and it was the heyday of Betty Grable and Bing Crosby.

Melbourne’s MAS*H nurse on the frontline

The scene is like a real-life version of M*A*S*H. In a makeshift medical facility in South Sudan, Kieren Box and other aid workers are called to fly to a wedding that has turned into a gunfight.

A note to those who say humanity is dead

On 19 August, World Humanitarian Day.

Tackling homelessness: Matt turns his life around

August 4th - 10th is Homelessness Week, raising awareness of people experiencing homelessness. We want you to meet Matt, who’s worked hard to overcome tremendous challenges in life and find somewhere safe to live.

Declutter, donate, and transform lives

Your pre-loved clothing could help provide disaster relief or help others in need.

$11.5 million in donations have helped Aussie farmers

All funds raised for our Help Aussie Farmers Appeal have now been distributed to farmers and their families in drought-affected parts of Australia.

Red Cross NAIDOC Awards 2019

Honouring outstanding First Nations women and men around the country.

The ice cream makers of Mongolia

In a tiny Mongolian town, a local entrepreneur has turned a passion for yak’s milk ice cream into a booming business.

Christie proves dreams can come true

No one in Christie’s family had ever had a driver’s licence and for her, it seemed an unachievable dream.

Meet the Red Cross wonder dogs

Move over Lassie. Red Cross has its own band of tail-wagging heroes, who for decades have been helping us support people in crisis all over the world.

Four special Red Cross nurses honoured for courage, spirit and service

A group of Australian Red Cross nurses have earned the highest international distinction a nurse can ever receive.

Use our tax calculator for your charity donation

See your potential tax break from a donation to Australian Red Cross.

Stories of good

Every day we're privileged to support and work with some of the most amazing humans you will ever met. Here are seven people whose hope, kindness and courage stand out.

Game of Thrones and laws of war: Season 8, Episode 6

The battle for the Iron Throne is over. Now our watch(ing) has ended.

Volunteers give heart and time

People are carrying out acts of kindness every day and we want to encourage more of it!

Game of Thrones and laws of war: GoT analysis week 5

Do you hear the bells? Alas, they won’t stop the spoilers, so turn back now if you haven’t seen this week’s episode.

Listening, the art of design

How an organisation better known for face-to-face service delivery landed on an app through co-designing a solution.

Pop-up Shop at Paddington Town Hall

Calling all op-shoppers and bargain hunters to join Red Cross at Paddington Town Hall on Saturday 1 June and Sunday 2 June for an enormous pop-up shop.

Make a difference: A how-to guide to helping others and changing the world

Here’s our ultimate list of things you can do today to make a difference and help change the world for the better.

Feel-good stories of humanity

Give yourself a lift with these heart-warming tales from around the globe.

Game of Thrones and laws of war: Season 8, Episode 4

Just as one battle ends, another begins. As always, enemies of the spoiler beware. If you don’t want to know how the Last War arrived at the shores of King’s Landing, avert your eyes now.

Be a mate on May 8

Celebrate World Red Cross Day by taking one of our actions.

Game of Thrones and laws of war: Season 8, Episode 3

As always, when you play the Game of Thrones recap, you live or you die with spoilers. There is no middle ground.

New Red Cross My Team mental health app

Designed with users and launched with users.

Game of Thrones and laws of war: Season 8, Episode 2

How do you analyse an episode where no battles took place? Turns out there's still plenty happening in Westeros...

Game of Thrones and laws of war: Season 8, Episode 1

Who committed war crimes in the first episode? We continue our niche (and let’s face it, kind of bizarre) analysis.

Who is Game of Thrones worst war criminal?

Nerd alert: to celebrate the launch of the eighth and final season of Games of Thrones we’ve analysed every episode of the last seven seasons to find the show’s worst war criminal.

Learning basic CPR the key to saving more lives

Get this lifesaving skill free this month with an online course from Australian Red Cross.

Remote communities headed home

Recovery begins after Cyclone Trevor.

Humanitarian catastrophe unfolding in Mozambique

Initial reports indicate at least 1,000 people have died and 400,000 made homeless, but the full scale of the suffering and loss Tropical Cyclone Idai has caused in Mozambique, Zimbabwe and Malawi is still not yet known.

Standing with Muslim communities

What you can do to ease grief, share kindness and have informed conversations

Why has the world failed Syria?

The Australian aid worker who heads up the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent operations in Syria reflects on a brutal eight-year long war.

Millions at risk in Philippines measles outbreak

Red Cross is waging a mighty battle in the Philippines to counter a deadly measles outbreak which has claimed more than 310 lives so far this year, a toll that's climbing daily.

We know nuclear weapons are unacceptable: let’s act on it

A new survey shows that nearly four out of five Australians want our country to sign on to a global treaty banning nuclear weapons for good, writes Australian Red Cross CEO Judy Slatyer.

International Women’s Day 2019

Red Cross was founded by women. Grown by women. And today, is led by women. We wouldn’t be who we are and what we are without their incredible efforts. Meet some inspirational women.

From East Africa to Australia: Elie’s inspiring story

With determination, hard work and a little bit of help from Red Cross, Elie is making the most of his new life in Australia and helping others along the way.

The power of friendship

After leaving behind everything in search for a better life these Venezuelan neighbours made a pact to never leave at each other’s side.

Bringing hope to a place no one should have to call home

Sam Cleary, a water and sanitation engineer and Red Cross aid worker, shares this story of life in the refugee camps on the Bangladesh-Myanmar border.

This is home

Home. It is something we all have in common. The yearning for that place which provides us somewhere we truly belong, it holds a space inside all of us.

Be prepared with first aid basics

Do you know what to do when someone is suffering from heat stress? Or how to treat a jellyfish sting? We’ve put together a handy guide to these and other first aid basics.

Ten years on from the Victorian Bushfires

Andrew Coghlan, National Manager of our Emergency Services Program, reflects on the tragic 2009 Victorian Bushfires.

Remembering the 2009 Victorian Bushfires

A decade on from one of Australia’s worst-ever natural disasters, our thoughts are with those who lost their lives, those who survived, those left behind, and those still struggling to recover.

Aussie farmers are looking up

Drop in on farmers helped by drought relief and the generosity of Australians and see how their optimism will get them through the big dry.

13 must-see movies that will change the way you see the world

We’ve pulled together our 13 must-watch movies – they all have important messages we reckon are worth being reminded of as we begin a new year.

Indonesia - Krakatoa Tsunami

Red Cross continues to rush emergency aid to villages along Indonesia’s Sunda Strait, which were devastated by powerful tsunami waves on 22 December.

Guys with guns: stop seeing us as a target

Just weeks ago, two young female Red Cross nurses were killed in Nigeria. We all pleaded for the unconditional release of my colleagues. But our pleas and prayers, unfortunately, came to nothing.

Helping bushfire evacuees find normalcy in chaos

When a grandmother and her twin granddaughters arrived at the Miriam Vale evacuation centre seeking refuge from bushfires, volunteer Joy sprang into action to help them get to their formal.

The world is failing child migrants at risk of violence, exploitation and sexual abuse

Thousands of unaccompanied and separated children are at daily risk of sexual and gender-based violence along the world’s migratory trails.

Wildlife warrior and baby wallaby keeping spirits up

As Deepwater residents flee the devastating bushfires, one little evacuee is bringing a smile to their faces.

Survivors of Sulawesi

These are the images of Sulawesi the world has seen, now for the stories of survival you haven’t heard

Beating the odds in the Bangladesh camps

“Four strong men, four strong men to OPD,” the radio crackles in my pocket.

Beat Loneliness podcast

Almost half of all Australians experience loneliness – a little or a lot. So why can’t we try to beat it together?

We will remember them

The 11th November 2018 marks the 100th anniversary of the end of World War One. A century on, we continue to uphold the laws of war.

2 billion people affected by natural disasters in past 10 years

The 2018 Red Cross World Disasters Report asks who is being left behind in their moments of greatest need.

Only 1 in 10 survive a cardiac arrest

Restart a Heart Day, 16 October 2018

Red Cross launches appeal for survivors of Sulawesi quake and tsunami

Relief operations underway in Palu City as extent of humanitarian impact emerges.

Bushfires and other disasters - lessons from the frontline

From people who have survived fires and floods to the volunteers who help them to cope and put their lives back together, those who've been there share what they learned.

More lives could be saved if those first on scene were first aid trained

Would you know what to do if you were first to arrive at the scene of a car accident?

Your support is helping the people of Lombok stay strong

Following a series of devastating earthquakes, emergency relief is getting to where it's needed.

21 famous people you probably didn't know supported Red Cross

From a princess to a stuntman to a rapper – meet 21 stars from Australia and around the world who’ve helped Red Cross do what it does.

An Aussie nurse’s story from the Myanmar Crisis

Against a backdrop of unspeakable violence and human endurance, a touching story of survival in a Red Cross field hospital.

Eighteen months without rain

While the drought is hurting farming communities, there is help – and hope – at hand.

Red Cross launches appeal for Lombok earthquake victims

The appeal will help provide urgently needed aid to people and communities affected by the recent series of devastating earthquakes.

Red Cross urges Australians to support drought crisis

Appeal funds to be distributed to drought-affected Australian farmers and communities.

Safety and dignity come first

A Global Compact on Migration should protect migrants and refugees, no matter what.

Because of her we can

Red Cross people introduce the important Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women in their lives.

Celebrating Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander voices

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples from across Red Cross share their voices, cultures and communities.

Red Cross NAIDOC Awards

Honouring outstanding First Nations women and men around the country.

Matin wearing a high vis shirt standing smiling outside his workplace

Asylum seekers – people you want to hire

People seeking asylum can be outstanding employees – if we work together to lift the barriers.

”This is a lose-lose situation for people”

Statement from ICRC President Peter Maurer following his visit to Myanmar and Bangladesh.

Kindness goes a long way

Sayed’s hope carried him from Afghanistan to Australia. A little kindness helped him start his life here.

In his own words

The country has been deeply affected by the rape and murder of young comedian Eurydice Dixon. Our National Resilience Advisor John Richardson shares his raw personal experience of the public grief.

Country Road and Red Cross team up

Between now and Monday 9 July Country Road is giving away $10 vouchers to use in their stores for every single pre-loved Country Road item you donate to us.

Thousands donate to our clothing drive

Thanks to Uber and everyone who supported our Uber x Red Cross clothing drive earlier this month. We collected a massive 43,500kg of clothing.

Meet the teams helping us beat loneliness

More than 500 teams, from all over the country, have signed up to help since we launched project Beat Loneliness a few weeks ago.

Building a new dreaming

How an Aboriginal community, and a young Sydney man with a laptop and microphone, fostered a generation of musicians, actors, dancers and film producers.

Generosity looks good on everyone

Clear some space in your wardrobe and join in the free Uber x Red Cross Clothing Drive on Sunday 3 June.

Here’s to our volunteers! National Volunteer Week

This week we’re celebrating all the people who take action to make Australia a better place.

Recovering from tragedies like Osmington

As Margaret River grieves for the loss of a family, here are some tips for taking care of yourself and your children.

Deadly young leaders carve a path for their future

Like any parent, Wally wants the best for his children. Sitting next to his daughter Geraldine, he has every reason to be beaming with pride.

Sara connects young and old

Watch magic happen, as our Red Cross volunteer brings unlikely friends together.

An unlikely alliance in the fight against Loneliness

We launched our social experiment #BeatLoneliness at an esports bar in Melbourne, Rocket League gamers by our side.

We can't engineer a way out of the Bangladesh camps

In Bangladesh refugee camps, there is a scramble underway to prevent a catastrophe and mass deaths.

A Safe Haven for those without a bed

Some have been homeless for years. Others have just run out of luck and have nowhere else to sleep.

Prepare your pets for an emergency

When the unexpected happens, having a plan in place for your furry friend is just as important.

New app prepares for emergencies

New data released by Red Cross and general insurer IAG has revealed that the safety and wellbeing of loved ones is the number one priority for Australians in an emergency

Resilience taskforce a step forward

Australian Red Cross has welcomed first steps toward a new national framework to reduce the impact of disasters

ICRC statement on Yemen crisis

ICRC Regional Director for the Near and Middle East, Robert Mardini's address to the 2018 Yemen High-Level on behalf of the Red Cross Red Crescent Movement.

Still raw, a year after the flood

One year after Cyclone Debbie triggered flash flooding, women in the village of Condong reflect on how life has changed.

In an evacuation centre

Inside the Bega Evacuation centre a community’s beating heart is on public display.