Canberra - Hollywood celebrities, singers and sports stars have
led efforts to raise funds for firefighters and bushfire victims in
Australia, as the conservative government's response comes under
mounting criticism.
World number one tennis player Ashleigh Barty was the latest sports
star to join fundraising efforts, pledging to donate all of her
Brisbane International prize money. The event, which starts Monday,
has a top prize of 250,000 US dollars.
Celeste Barber, an Australian comedian, has already raised a whopping
16 million US dollars to help the firefighters battle the deadly
bushfires in just two days.
"That's almost twice as much money as [Prime Minister Scott Morrison]
allocated for the entire year (and that was after cutting funding to
them)," Australian author Clementine Ford said on her Twitter.
%%%twitter https://twitter.com/celestebarber_?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@celestebarber_has raised almost TWENTY MILLION DOLLARYDOOS for the NSW rural fire service. That’s almost twice as much money as @ScottMorrisonMP allocated for the entire year (and that was after cutting funding to them). What a fkn LEGEND.
— Clementine Ford 🧟♀️ (@clementine_ford)
Barber, who became popular after posting celebrity parodies on her
Instagram, has 6.4 million followers. She drew pledges from more than
half a million people from across the world.
The fundraising link has been shared by many other celebrities,
including singer Lizzo and actors Natalie Portman and Selma Blair.
"It's terrifying. They are scared. They need your help," Barber wrote
on Facebook on Friday with photos of a fire-red sky bearing down on
her mother-in-law's New South Wales house.
A day later, she said her family was being evacuated.
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by Celeste Barber(@celestebarber) on Jan 2, 2020 at 8:48pm PST
Oscar-winning Hollywood actress Nicole Kidman also announced she was
donating half a million dollars to the firefighters.
"Our family's support, thoughts and prayers are with everyone
affected by the fires all over Australia," she said on her
Instagram.
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by Nicole Kidman(@nicolekidman) on Jan 4, 2020 at 3:10pm PST
US pop star Pink has also pledged half a million US dollars for
Australian fire services.
"I am totally devastated watching what is happening in Australia
right now with the horrific bushfires," the singer tweeted to her 32
million Twitter followers on Saturday.
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by P!NK(@pink) on Jan 3, 2020 at 10:47pm PST
"I am pledging a donation of $500,000 directly to the local fire
services that are battling so hard on the front lines."
Last week, Australian tennis player Nick Kyrgios sparked the massive
fundraising effort after he pledged to donate 200 dollars for every
ace he served to the bushfire appeal.
It was matched later by fellow tennis players John Millman and Alex
de Minaur. Other tennis stars like Simona Halep of Romania and Czech
Petra Kvitova also joined the cause.
Tennis Australia has announced a "Rally for Relief" exhibition match
on Rod Laver Arena on January 15, which will likely feature some of
the world's top players.
In Australia, states and territory governments have been fighting
hundreds of massive bushfires but the federal government, led by
conservative Prime Minister Scott Morrison, has come under heavy
criticism for not setting aside enough resources and funding.
On Saturday, he mobilized 3,000 reservists and other defence assets.
He also announced 20 million dollars in funding to lease four fire
bombers.
But his critics have said it's too little, too late as the bushfires
have already destroyed more than 6 million hectares of land.
Twenty-four people have died since the devastating bushfire season
started early this year in September. All six of Australia's states
and one territory have been affected.
More than 200 fires continue to burn.