Australian Red Cross

Australian Red Cross Society
FormationJune 28, 1941 (1941-06-28)
TypeNon-governmental organisation
Registration no.50169561394
Legal statusIncorporated by royal charter[1]
PurposeHumanitarian aid
HeadquartersMelbourne, Victoria
Region
Australia
Services
Andrew Colvin
President
Ross Pinney
Patron
David Hurley
SubsidiariesLifeblood
AffiliationsInternational Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement
Budget (2019–20)
Increase A$1.135 billion[2]
Expenses (2019–20)Increase A$1.029 billion[2]
Websiteredcross.org.au
Formerly called
British Red Cross Australian Branch
The Australian postage stamp (1954) commemorated for Australian Red Cross Society

Australian Red Cross, formally Australian Red Cross Society, is a humanitarian aid and community services charity in Australia. Tracing its history back to 1914 and being incorporated by royal charter in 1941, Australian Red Cross Society is the national member of the Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies and part of the International Red Cross Movement. Australian Red Cross is guided by the Fundamental Principles of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement and as such is a non-religious, neutral, impartial and independent humanitarian organisation.

Australian Red Cross provides a range of services and programmes including international aid across the Asia-Pacific region, international humanitarian law advocacy, migration support, emergency management, blood donation via Australian Red Cross Lifeblood, and community services for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, youth, families, the elderly, and persons with disabilities.

David Hurley, former governor-general of Australia, is the patron of Australian Red Cross and a non-voting member of the Council of the Society of Australian Red Cross. The Council is the peak governance decision-making body and is made up of the Red Cross Board, up to six special councillors, and 32 members appointed by Divisional Advisory Boards.[3][4]

  1. ^ "Australian Red Cross royal charter of incorporation" (PDF). Australian Red Cross. Archived from the original (PDF) on 10 March 2017. Retrieved 18 September 2016.
  2. ^ a b "Australian Red Cross Society". Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission. 18 December 2020. Retrieved 19 April 2021.
  3. ^ "Our people". Australian Red Cross. Retrieved 20 September 2020.
  4. ^ "Council". Australian Red Cross. Retrieved 20 September 2020.