As 2025 winds down, it’s been a busy final few months for the AFUO! Here’s a look back at our advocacy, media engagement, and key meetings.
Meetings & Engagement with Government and Political Leaders
- The office of Foreign Minister, the Hon Penny Wong
- The office of Minister for Immigration, the Hon Tony Burke MP
- The office of the Leader of the Opposition, the Hon Sussan Ley MP
- The office of Michaelia Cash, Shadow Foreign Affairs Minister
- Senator Dean Smith, Shadow Assistant Foreign Affairs Minister
- Senator David Shoebridge, Australian Greens spokesperson for Foreign Affairs, Peace and Nuclear Disarmament, and Defence
We urged action on russian blood oil; reported on community initiatives, highlighted DP visa concerns; and invited support for fourth-year invasion commemoration events.
Direct Advocacy
- In late November, we wrote for the second time to all 226 Federal MPs and Senators urging the closure of the russian blood oil sanctions loophole.
- Preparations have begun for the AFUO submission to the Senate inquiry into russian sanctions
Global Engagement
- We continued collaboration with key stakeholders on the #StopFuelingrussiasWar campaign, inc. the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA) and B4Ukraine.
- We participated in an online roundtable with global experts in energy, economics and sanctions, which produced a briefing paper that was submitted to the PM and senior ministers in late October. Thank you to Anton Moisienko, Senior Lecturer in Law, Australian National University, for coordination.
Community mobilisation
- Supported Association of Ukrainians in Victoria – Geelong and Ukrainian Council of NSW, who held protests about the arrival of russian blood oil products into their ports in Geelong and Sydney
Media engagement
- The AFUO has been quoted extensively in all major media outlets, including the Sydney Morning Herald/The Age, The Australian, Herald Sun, Financial Review, The Guardian, The Nightly, 9News, The Saturday Paper, 7am podcast (see our Newsroom)
- Key topics covered: russian blood oil, community protests against blood oil, and the Trump-putin proposed ‘peace’ deal
Fighting against russian narratives, actively promoting Ukrainian voices
- Met with SBS Board Director and senior management to convey community concerns about russian oil article, with changes implemented
- Provided story ideas and contacts to award-winning journalist David Crowe, Sydney Morning Herald/The Age for a special series from Lviv, Ukraine
- Provided Ukrainian talent and voices for media stories
Together with our community, we’ll continue to raise awareness about russia’s genocidal war in Ukraine and generate support for Ukraine’s fight for justice and sovereignty in 2026 and beyond.
#AFUO #AFUO_In_Action #StopBloodOil #Advocacy #Ukraine #Sanctions #MediaEngagement #StopFuelingrussiasWar #GlobalSolidarity #EndrussianAggression #StandWithUkraine
