There are calls for people on the dole to be encouraged to help bushfire-ravaged towns
An organisation helping in bushfire recovery efforts wants the government to provide free transport to people on the dole who could come in to help ravaged areas recover.
NSW
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Unemployed people who want to go to the bushfire-ravaged regions of Australia and offer their time should have their fuel paid for by the federal government, according to the founder of volunteer organisation BlazeAid.
The call comes after the government this week announced it would grant special visa benefits to backpackers to encourage them to help rebuild fences and farm sheds in devastated parts of the country.
BlazeAid president Kevin Butler told The Daily Telegraph there should be incentives for unemployed people who are keen to join the 1200 volunteers already on the ground.
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“Absolutely,” he said. “The incentive should be something like free transport to BlazeAid.” Mr Butler said BlazeAid was not allowed to use the donations it received to pay for volunteers’ fuel costs but the government could.
The Telegraph spoke to several unemployed people on the state’s south coast yesterday who said it was a great idea.
Nowra resident Tyler Benson, 25, who was applying for the Newstart allowance, backed the idea of getting jobless people more involved. “I think it’s good just because there’s a lot of people around this area that really have nothing to do and there’s not many job opportunities,” Mr Benson said.
“So getting them into something like that is really a push and they’re seen by others in the community – it might give them a chance to get a job and be seen by others.”
Nowra construction engineer Harish Singh, 36, who is on Newstart with his partner Nidhi Negi, 32, said he would be willing to help out.
“Local experience matters a lot, before we start in any company, we can start this kind of job here, we can construct for the bushfires, we can go definitely,” Mr Singh said.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison yesterday said the working holiday-maker visa changes would mean BlazeAid could get more volunteers.
The time a backpacker can work with the same employer has been extended from six months to 12 months for those assisting with bushfire recovery effort.
And the definition of “specified work” will be revised for the relevant visa classes to include construction work in a disaster declared area.
Originally published as There are calls for people on the dole to be encouraged to help bushfire-ravaged towns
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