Image credit: Australian Red Cross
Community interaction
Red Cross volunteer provides essential psychosocial support to individuals affected by the bushfires.
Mining plays a part in bushfire relief A UNITED RESPONSE FROM THE AUSTRALIAN MINING INDUSTRY HAS PROVEN THAT THE SECTOR DOESN’T SHY AWAY IN THE FACE OF HEAT. VANESSA ZHOU WRITES.
T
he fires that have swept across Australia over the summer months have spurred governments, businesses and individuals into action. WWF-Australia estimates that more than 1.25 billion animals may have perished in the fires that have burnt more than 10 million hectares across the country. The fires, indiscriminate to the Christmas and New Year’s period, have left a trail of missing individuals and others who have lost their homes. The Australian Red Cross has collected $115 million in donations and the Salvation Army has received more than $40 million to aid the recovery (at the time of writing).
They are just two of the organisations that mining companies have extended their generosity to, with other beneficiaries including the Victorian Government Bushfire Appeal, New South Wales Rural Fire Service and RSPCA. BHP social investment vehicle, BHP Foundation, has donated $2 million to the Australian Red Cross, $30,000 to Mallacoota relief and a $2 donation for every dollar donated by its employees to Red Cross, Rural Fire Service, SA Fire, RSPCA and the Wildlife Information, Rescue and Education Services (WIRES). “The foundation’s donation will help Australian Red Cross provide immediate support through evacuation centres, psychological first aid and emergency assistance, including cash
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grants to people who have lost homes as well as support longer-term recovery programs in fire-affected communities,” according to BHP. Rio Tinto has also donated a total of $1 million across multiple contributions to the Australian Red Cross to support emergency relief efforts. Canada’s Kirkland Lake Gold has expressed the widespread impact of the bushfire crisis despite it not impacting the company’s operations. “While our operations in Australia have not been affected by the recent bushfires, we have watched with great concern their devastating impact,” the company has tweeted. “We are donating $1 million to support relief and recovery efforts and to
