Earlier this year, comedian Celeste Barber became the unlikely face of Australian bushfire relief when she helped raise over $51 million to fund those battling the blazes that devastated much of the country.
Hear about how people from all over the world helped fight the Australian bushfires below:
Today, the NSW Supreme Court decided that the funds raised can be used to help Rural Fire Service (RFS) firefighters and their families – but cannot go to other charities beyond that.
When Barber launched the appeal on Facebook in early January, she had an initial target of just $30,000 and nominated the NSW RFS and Brigades Donation Fund as the beneficiary of the campaign.
Unfortunately, Barber had no idea how much money she would end up raising, or the fact that the NSW RFS and Brigades Donation Fund is governed under a deed and therefore any donations received can only be used on training, operational costs and fire equipment.
When Barber’s campaign became a viral success, many people hoped their donations would go to help other charities including the Australian Red Cross and WIRES. Even the RFS said they wanted to share the money around.
“We take the issue of public donations very seriously — and know everyone wants to see the funds distributed quickly and to the right places,” a spokesperson said.
It’s not all bad news, though. Trustees of the NSW RFS and Brigades Donation Fund will be able to use the money to set up or contribute to a fund to help injured firefighters, families of firefighters killed in action, and trauma counselling.
The backlash Barber received for these legal roadblocks hasn’t dampened her spirit, either. Speaking to the Sydney Morning Herald in March, she said, “I would have raised more. I would have kept it going and just kept raising more money, I’d do it again and again, as if you wouldn’t?”
“No person would go, ‘no actually I probably wouldn’t raise $52 million again because I got backlash.’ I didn’t really get backlash and I would 100% do it again,” she added.
Other charities have also praised Barber’s achievement. Leanne Taylor, the CEO of WIRES said “Celeste brought local and global awareness of the people, the environment and the animals that were so badly affected by these devastating fires and she deserves our congratulations and appreciation,” as per the ABC.
Leanne Taylor is right. Despite the critics and the legal hurdles, Celeste Barber’s bushfire relief fund is a huge achievement and proof that the power to make a difference is in our hands.
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