Australian bushfire donations from big business worth millions but charities warn long-term assistance needed

Australian big business and celebrities pledge $10 million to help volunteer firefighters, taxpayers and fire victims.

Key points:

• The acting chief of the Australian Red Cross warns that recovery could take years and long-term financial aid is crucial.
• Rumour
• From big-name celebrities like Hollywood star Chris Hemsworth to corporate philanthropists like Andrew "Twiggy" Forrest, well-known Australians and business leaders have pledged hundreds of thousands of dollars, and possibly tens of millions of dollars, to help with post-bushfire recovery.

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"This is a disaster and the Minderoo Foundation and my family will respond according to the scale of the disaster," he told PM.

He agreed that contributions could increase depending on what's needed to overcome the decline, but he didn't lobby the Morrison government on the climate change issue.

"I believe we are doing everything we can. I am fortunate to be the head of a well-respected municipal company in Australia.

We've spent over $500 million moving from diesel, oil and of course coal to solar and gas," he said.

"I think it's more important for companies to lead by example than to preach to people."

National Australia Bank has pledged $5 million to the recovery, Coles $4 million and BHP $2 million.

But charities on the frontline of the bushfires are telling Australian companies not to overstretch themselves with large foreign currency donations.

'This is a marathon not a sprint'

The Red Cross has welcomed the influx of donations, but acting CEO Noel Clement says few people realise the organisation needs more organised funding.

"Frankly, we can continue to help as long as we have the funds.

After the Black Saturday fires, we supported this work for 10 years.

Some of these communities have received support before.

Experts on post-earthquake recovery believe the rebuilding process for communities affected by this season's bushfires could take more than three years of borrowing, and that no matter how much donations are raised now, it will take several years to fund the rebuild after that.

Andrew Forest said that the Ministry of Delia wanted personal contribution to lon g-term reconstruction. (AAP: Dean Rins)

Clement is afraid that the initial economic assistance has increased, especially when the wildfire ends with a paper media title.

"This is a marathon, not a short distance run.

"And the help from other people to promote the activities that we and others are doing in this area is also wonderful.

"So far, people know that this has actually been the help of the local community for a long time."

Forest remembered that Mindeloo had participated in the Black Saturday Fire (Black Saturday) 10 years ago.

"The Mindeloo Foundation had a scale, amount, and probability, which was far more than the current one, but stayed in this area for two years.

"We played a very small role in their recovery."

The Australian Comersantz Council, a major business lobby group in the state, took some measures in this direction.

Efforts to extend support

He announced that it will develop a trust in the future to support volunteers who died during fire extinguishing, for example, in the future.

Donor

Major bushfire donors

Sam	Mindaloo Foundation Andrew Forest
$ 70 million	Paul Rambushi Fund
30 million dollars	Seven Group Holdings and Australian Capital Equity
$ 10 million	News Corp and Murdock Family
$ 9 million	Crown and Packer clan
$ 5 million	Bonzen
$ 5 million	Bonzen
$ 4 million, $ 3 million	Madcov family
$ 4 million	Calls
$ 4 million	Calls
$ 2. 5 million	BHP
$ 2 million	Wesfather
More than $ 7 million	Tabcope
More than $ 1. 5 million	Waist pack
More than 15 million dollars	Waist pack
$ 1. 5 million	Family Fund Mickey & Madrain Allison and his wife
$ 1. 5 million	Family Fund Mickey & Madrain Allison and his wife
More than 1 million dollars	Commonwealth Bank
More than 1 million dollars	Commonwealth Bank
More than 1 million dollars	Commonwealth Bank
More than 1 million dollars	Commonwealth Bank
More than 1 million dollars	Commonwealth Bank
More than 1 million dollars	Commonwealth Bank
$ 1 million	Blues cope
$ 1 million	Blues cope
$ 1 million	Blues cope
$ 1 million	Blues cope
$ 1 million	Blues cope
$ 1 million	Blues cope
$ 1 million	Blues cope
$ 1 million	Blues cope
$ 1 million	Blues cope
$ 1 million	Blues cope
$ 1 million	Blues cope
$ 1 million	Blues cope
$ 1 million	Blues cope
$ 1 million	Blues cope
$ 1 million	Blues cope
$ 1 million	Blues cope
{space}	Blues cope
$ 1 million	Blues cope
$ 1 million	Blues cope
$ 1 million	Blues cope
$ 1 million	Blues cope
$ 1 million	Blues cope
{space}	Blues cope
$ 750K	Lewis Hamilton
$ 725K	JP Morgan
$ 725K	JP Morgan
BP	ASX
$ 520k+	PWC
$ 500k+	Vulture and loop
$ 500k+	Vulture and loop
$ 500k+	Vulture and loop
$ 500k+	Vulture and loop
$ 500k+	Vulture and loop
$ 500k+	Vulture and loop
$ 500k	Justin Hemx
$ 500k	Justin Hemx
$ 500k	Justin Hemx
$ 500k	Justin Hemx
$500K	Justin Hemx
$500K	Justin Hemx
$500K	Justin Hemx
$500K	Justin Hemx
$500K	Justin Hemx

Also, companies such as ANZ, Qantas and Wesfarmers offer paid time off to employees who volunteer to help emergency services.

PWC goes further and does not limit paid time off.

"We are a professional services company and we have a lot of skills to offer to society," said Dorothy Kisglow, president of PWC.

Heartbreaking photos of families who lost everything as wildfires raged across parts of the country have touched the hearts of many who want to help those affected.

How you can help

"We've already submitted proposals to the federal and state governments," she says.

The first donation from a consultant is $500, 000, she says.

"So I think our long-term support will be there, not just for the foreseeable future, but beyond next year."

Of course, once disaster elimination organizations are confident they'll have some funding, the next problem is managing the money.

The bigger the donation, the more difficult this process becomes.

"This is a very difficult problem to solve when the fires are still burning and people are still needing to recover," said Noel Clement of the Red Cross.

"I don't know how much these communities need right now.

"It's very hard for us to raise money right now. People are willing to sacrifice right now.

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• Published on Friday, January 10, 2020 7:25 Friday, January 10, 2020 7:25 Updated: Friday, January 10, 2020 15:06 Friday, January 10, 2020 15:06 Friday, January 10, 2020 15:06 Friday, January 10, 2020 15:06
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