Bushfire charities commit to spending millions as Fighting Spirit launched
A new book has been launched today as part of a Newscorp and National Recovery and Resilience Agency joint initiative for the survivors and volunteers.
Wildlife rescue volunteer Morgan Philpott gave his all to 10 koalas that came into his care out of Australia’s Black Summer bushfires, but only one survived.
The WIRES koala carer recalled while December 2019 was relentless after an estimated three billion animals perished in the fires or were displaced, Kurra the koala’s survival was a highlight.
“We were losing koalas … to see that scale of loss over such a short period was really hard. There is no short cuts when you deal with your own personal grief,” the 48-year-old said.
WIRES was one of three Australian charities that attracted significant public interest after it received $91m in donations following photos of singed wildlife that went viral around the world.
As well, images of children choking on smoke and blood red skies that prompted an outpouring of donations were included in a new book launched by News Corp called Fighting Spirit.
The book is a joint initiative with the National Recovery and Resilience Agency, dedicated to the survivors and volunteers who helped in the fires’ aftermath.
About 81 per cent of the record-breaking donations made to WIRES, the Red Cross and the NSW RFS have been spent or allocated. They received a combined $443m and have spent or committed to spend $361.8m.
A WIRES spokesman said the mammoth $91m in donations it received was “more than the Australian wildlife charity sector has ever received”.
So far $47.8m has been spent or allocated on improving rescue and rehabilitation services. Wildlife research programs received a cash injection, including $1.012m over three years for the Koala Health Hub at the University of Sydney’s veterinary school.
Sixty-four Landcare Australia wildlife relief and recovery grants were allocated $1.185m to support recovery of wildlife habitats impacted by bushfire and drought across the country.
The Australian Wildlife Conservancy will receive $1.6m for bushfire recovery programs. Of that, $400,000 will help save the Kangaroo Island dunnart from extinction and $740,000 will help save the Northern Bettong from extinction. The remaining $43.1m will be allocated based on evaluation results, from 2022 – 2030.
The Red Cross received $242m, of which $224m has been spent or allocated on 13,260 financial assistance grants. The money has also helped 40,107 people in bushfire affected communities through one-on-one and group support and training.
The NSW RFS received $111m – including $51M raised through comedian Celeste Barber – and have spent or allocated $108m.
Meanwhile after almost five months with Mr Philipott in Kurrajong – located 75km north west of Sydney – Kurra, rescued by a local RFS firefighter from a burnt out tree-fern in the garden of a destroyed house, was released into the wild in May 2020.
“Big fire events are catastrophic to immediate populations but they can recover as long as we leave their habitat,” he said. “If we continue cutting down old trees that they live in and eat in we will lose them.”
More Coverage
It's #SaveTheKoala month and our ongoing work rescue and rehabilitating Koalas continues ðŸ¨
— WIRES (@WIRESWildlife) September 24, 2021
Here's an update on Flora and Athenas' rescue journey - Here you can see Flora getting her weigh in and check up at @currumbinwildlifesanctuary 💚 pic.twitter.com/FcC8wGrXa1
Third senior exit at CFMEU administration
The exit came as confidential documents show the union’s national office was in deficit and the SA branch insolvent.
Flood warnings issued as Cyclone Zelia downgraded
Tropical cyclone Zelia has been downgraded but heavy rainfall continues to lash parts of northwest WA, where severe weather and emergency warnings remain in place.