$1 MILLION IN BLAZEAID FUNDING ‘TAKES THE STRAIN’ OFF BUSHFIRE RECOVERY
An additional $1 million cash injection for volunteer organisation BlazeAid, will allow it to continue rebuilding vital farm fences destroyed during the recent devastating bushfires.
Member for Tamworth Kevin Anderson said the funding would alleviate financial pressures on BlazeAid so it could get on with helping farmers get back on their feet.
“These fires have really tested the communities affected by them. I am so proud of the effort by our Rural Fire Serve and NSW Fire & Rescue volunteers who are out on the front line keeping our communities safe.
“I can’t give enough thanks for their efforts as well as thanking those back home supporting them, like their employers, their wives and families.
“It’s a real community effort and organisations like BlazeAid who come along after the fires are out helping rebuild fences and the clean-up, are priceless
“BlazeAid largely relies on the generosity of donors and the individual fire effected landholders to buy fencing materials – basically living hand to mouth.
“This funding will allow the organisation to pay for things like strainer and steel posts and wire meaning it can charge ahead with projects instead of stopping and starting as volunteers wait for donations to come in.
“In all this funding should help buy enough materials for around another 550 kilometres of boundary fencing.
“The recovery effort from these fires will be long and hard and I thank BlazeAid for everything its doing to help to ease this burden on farmers who have lost so much,” Mr Anderson concluded.
BlazeAid Ebor Camp Co-ordinator Tony Samuel said the funding was a great relief for volunteers.
“When it comes to farming stock proof fences are one of the most important pieces of infrastructure someone can have,” Mr Samuel said.
“This announcement is extremely welcome and it gives us an extra pot of money to keep boots on the ground and working continuing.
“I want to sincerely thank the State Government for their ongoing support of our work.”