Bushfires 2019/2020!

[Flying mermaid]

where abouts in Gordon, can you say? We live there too.

According to Canberra Times “at 12:30 fire and rescue attended a grassland area near Woodcock Drive and Preddey Way”

 

[dajop]

I don’t want to be critical or suggest the communities that have suffered bushfires are undeserving of charity but since when was Australia, a very rich country by any measure, so deserving of foreign charity?

I get fundraising within Australia and certainly Australians, and many Australian organisations have a demonstrated willingness to do their fair share. But I am getting lots of emails from foreign organisations starting bushfire appeals (two examples, relevant to a travel forum, include MileagePlus and RentalCars.com). I can’t help but think there’s a lot of virtue signalling and bandwagon jumping going on. I don’t remember this sort of stuff 10 years ago with Black Saturday.

Also, I have not seen any international organisations calling out for support for Jakarta flood victims, where 60+ people have died and at least 40,000 people have been displaced. But I guess that hasn’t gained much traction on social media.

In amidst the crisis I hate being critical but I can’t help but think the international reaction to this is really quite astonishing, compared to many other disasters.

 

[Seat0B]

According to Canberra Times “at 12:30 fire and rescue attended a grassland area near Woodcock Drive and Preddey Way”

thanks Flying Mermaid.

 

[Flying mermaid]

I don’t want to be critical or suggest the communities that have suffered bushfires are undeserving of charity but since when was Australia, a very rich country by any measure, so deserving of foreign charity?

I get fundraising within Australia and certainly Australians, and many Australian organisations have a demonstrated willingness to do their fair share. But I am getting lots of emails from foreign organisations starting bushfire appeals (two examples, relevant to a travel forum, include MileagePlus and RentalCars.com). I can’t help but think there’s a lot of virtue signalling and bandwagon jumping going on. I don’t remember this sort of stuff 10 years ago with Black Saturday.

Also, I have not seen any international organisations calling out for support for Jakarta flood victims, where 60+ people have died and at least 40,000 people have been displaced. But I guess that hasn’t gained much traction on social media.

In amidst the crisis I hate being critical but I can’t help but think the international reaction to this is really quite astonishing, compared to many other disasters.

I think the overseas interest is spurred by the destruction to wildlife - can’t resist koala and kangaroos. Social media is also a factor - overseas wouldn’t have even known about fires 10 years ago whereas now it can spread instantaneously. Someone like Celeste Barber has millions of followers.

 

[Quickstatus]

I don’t want to be critical or suggest the communities that have suffered bushfires are undeserving of charity but since when was Australia, a very rich country by any measure, so deserving of foreign charity?

I get fundraising within Australia and certainly Australians, and many Australian organisations have a demonstrated willingness to do their fair share. But I am getting lots of emails from foreign organisations starting bushfire appeals (two examples, relevant to a travel forum, include MileagePlus and RentalCars.com). I can’t help but think there’s a lot of virtue signalling and bandwagon jumping going on. I don’t remember this sort of stuff 10 years ago with Black Saturday.

Also, I have not seen any international organisations calling out for support for Jakarta flood victims, where 60+ people have died and at least 40,000 people have been displaced. But I guess that hasn’t gained much traction on social media.

In amidst the crisis I hate being critical but I can’t help but think the international reaction to this is really quite astonishing, compared to many other disasters.

That’s why my charitable gifting is always silent and I definitely don’t give via any celebrity/instagrammer gofundme page.

(I get that celebrities/instagrammers/otherwise public figures can use their public persona as leverage and good luck to them.)

Why donate via a Paypal gifting site Or some other 3rd party when you can go direct to your favourite charity

And I believe where possible always give cash. It boosts cashflow within affected local communities, and reduces the cost of handling sorting storing donated goods.

Donating to Africa is always a case in point. School kids are forever coming up with nice schemes to donate to a cause in Africa. Sending goods (like knitted goods to the Hamlin foundation) to Africa costs money, lots of money and also displaces the local economy. I gave a talk via the P&C at our school once and the kids decided to knit the shawls, sell it here and send the money over. Sensible.

 

[VPS]

Is it bad that until the fires I had no idea who Celeste Barber was and still don't really know

 

[OATEK]

That’s why my charitable gifting is always silent and I definitely don’t give via any celebrity/instagrammer gofundme page.

(I get that celebrities/instagrammers/otherwise public figures can use their public persona as leverage and good luck to them.)

Why donate via a Paypal gifting site Or some other 3rd party when you can go direct to your favourite charity

And I believe where possible always give cash. It boosts cashflow within affected local communities, and reduces the cost of handling sorting storing donated goods.

Donating to Africa is always a case in point. School kids are forever coming up with nice schemes to donate to a cause in Africa. Sending goods (like knitted goods to the Hamlin foundation) to Africa costs money, lots of money and also displaces the local economy. I gave a talk via the P&C at our school once and the kids decided to knit the shawls, sell it here and send the money over. Sensible.

When my brother was living in Tanzania he would send lists of what was really needed (eg pencils for school kids).

 

[Quickstatus]

Wouldn’t it be better to send cash over, so he can buy the needed supplies from the local businesses?
Money is magic it goes round and round and round. Aka “Velocity of Money“

spend $1 and the value of that $1is multiplied

 

[OATEK]

Wouldn’t it be better to send cash over, so he can buy the needed supplies from the local businesses?
Money is magic it goes round and round and round. Aka “Velocity of Money“

spend $1 and the value of that $1is multiplied

It usually accompanied food drops (eg Vegemite) & the occasional trail bike.

 

[Pushka]

Is it bad that until the fires I had no idea who Celeste Barber was and still don't really know

She does very funny gym work-out parodies. Is it bad that I know that?

 

[drron]

Just got an email from Saffire in Tassie.Because of what happened to Southern Ocean lodge they are donating $500 from the next 100 bookings to the KI Animal welfare fund.

 

[Flying mermaid]

And my favourite shoe shop Peter Shepherd is donating $50 from every pair of shoes sold this this weekend, instore and online to WWF and Community Enterprise Foundation

 

[amaroo]

The CBA were the final bidders for Warne's baggy green cap. It fetched just over the million, and brings their total donation to 9 million.

 

[Pushka]

The CBA were the final bidders for Warne's baggy green cap. It fetched just over the million, and brings their total donation to 9 million.

And worth a lot of advertising too! I was hoping the winner might gift it back to Warnie. Dream on

 

[p--and--t]

Wouldn’t it be better to send cash over, so he can buy the needed supplies from the local businesses?
Money is magic it goes round and round and round. Aka “Velocity of Money“

spend $1 and the value of that $1is multiplied

Off topic but .... Trouble is some of the goods sold locally are cr.. and don't last long and not that much cheaper for desperately poor people to purchase.

When I went to Kenya last year I topped up my luggage with afew hundred bulk biro's and felt coloured pen purchases from officeworks and donated to a rural school. The local chief was extremely thankful and held a formal ceremony in conjunction with the head teacher to hand out these "treasured items" one by one to each of the students and filmed the occasion. Apparently they don't get items of such quality (and long lasting) from the local stores.

 

[drron]

And worth a lot of advertising too! I was hoping the winner might gift it back to Warnie. Dream on

But CBA are gifting it to the Don Bradman museum in Bowral.I think a better idea than gifting it back to Warne IMHO.

 

[Pushka]

But CBA are gifting it to the Don Bradman museum in Bowral.I think a better idea than gifting it back to Warne IMHO.

It was just a thought and more relevant if it was a private buyer. But he did earn it but yes it is good it’s going to a public museum rather than private collection.

 

[VPS]

I agree @drron - it saves the cap for Australia. Well done to CBA. I thought it would end up in India

 

[amaroo]

But CBA are gifting it to the Don Bradman museum in Bowral.I think a better idea than gifting it back to Warne IMHO.

I agree @drron - it saves the cap for Australia. Well done to CBA. I thought it would end up in India

Top shelf - complete agreement!

 

[drron]

From Twitter
Sir John Monash Centre

@sirjohnmonash
·
15h

The nearby town of Villers-Bretonneux's recent show of bushfire support has captured our hearts. The local school has set-up an online fundraising page to support Australians, the way Australians supported them more than 100 years ago.
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