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Oxfam is thrilled that comedian Steph Tisdell will be supporting the organisation to raise funds and tackle inequality by hosting the Melbourne International Comedy Festival’s Gala this year.

Tisdell will become the first Aboriginal comedian to take the reins of Australian comedy’s annual night of nights.

This is the 25^th year of Oxfam’s partnership with the Melbourne International Comedy Festival. Over this time, funds donated by the show’s audience have made a difference to the lives of thousands of people, tackling poverty and inequality head-on by providing clean water, decent toilets and practical, life-changing solutions for people in need. This year, fundraising will focus on the work of Oxfam’s First Peoples projects, with the spotlight on its Straight Talk program.

Straight Talk is a program that supports Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women to develop the skills and confidence to engage with our political system, share and learn from other like-minded women, and explore ways to bring about positive change in their communities.

Oxfam Australia Chief Executive Lyn Morgain said it was fantastic that Tisdell would be hosting the event when it was highlighting Oxfam’s work with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

“Over 10 years, our Straight Talk program has brought together hundreds of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women from across the country to network, and share the skills and knowledge they need to be effective leaders and change-makers in their communities,” Ms Morgain said.

“We’re delighted that Steph will be helping us to share some of the incredible success stories that have come out of the program, and to build on this work by enlisting the support of the audience and viewers.”

Since 2009, the Straight Talk program has brought together about 900 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women from across the nation at national and regional summits to learn about Australia’s political system, and form powerful networks.

For 47 years, Oxfam Australia has been committed to supporting First Peoples’ rights and has worked in solidarity with First Nations Peoples to achieve equality and create the change they want to see.