Wednesday, December 29, 2004
AUSTRALIA SPENDS BIG
Various contributions to the tsunami aid effort. All figures in Australian dollars:
Australia: $35 million
New South Wales: $2 million
Western Australia: $2 million
Queensland: $1.5 million
Victoria: $1.5 million
Australian Capital Territory: $500,000
South Australia: $500,000
France: $177,000
UPDATE. That French figure seems impossibly low, but it checks out here and here (100,000 euros = $A177,000 = $US135,400). France is also sending rescue workers to Thailand and humanitarian aid to Sri Lanka, but please ... $177,000? Andrew Sullivan probably makes more during his Pledge Week.
In other charity news, the Australian cricket team has donated its prize money from the Second Test and is promising further fund-raising; and Stephen Frost reports from Hong Kong on Indonesian maids who’ve raised $10,000 so far for victims back home:
There are around 85,000 Indonesian domestic helpers in Hong Kong (the second largest group after Filipinas). Despite their low pay (they are often paid well under the minimum wage) and being denied a day off on Monday (Boxing Day Holiday in Hong Kong), the community has started to raise money for relief efforts back home. This has been difficult because usually they only meet on Sundays, so the drive to raise funds has been conducted by SMS and other means. However, as of this morning they have raised $HK10,000 and organisers expect that on Sunday they will add to this amount considerably. All cash is being collected by a well known human rights activist from Aceh living in Hong Kong, and will be deposited with an international agency. Many of these women will have lost entire networks of families and friends and can do nothing but sit and wait for news to filter through or donate whatever they can from their small wages.
UPDATE II. Tasmania only has the population of Melbourne’s western suburbs, but you beat them, France! They’ve donated just $150,000!
UPDATE III. Jeff Jarvis writes:
The NY Times headline this morning says: “Irate Over ‘Stingy’ Remark, U.S. Adds $20 Million to Disaster Aid.”
Now that makes a direct cause-and-effect relationship; the headline says we added $20 million because of the U.N. “stingy” crack.
The story does not back that up. I don’t believe the facts back that up.
Hey, it could be true; maybe ‘stingy’ is the magic word that unlocks US government money! Yo, US government! You are STINGY because you haven’t given me any PayPal money! Stingy stingy stingy!
That ought to do it.
UPDATE IV. The Sydney Morning Herald repeats that $170,000 figure. I’ve driven more expensive cars.
UPDATE V. Australian charities have raised nearly $3 million. Says Red Cross volunteer Jenny Patterson: “It’s been really hectic. You put down the phone and it rings again ... people are being very generous.”
UPDATE VI. US readers can donate at Amazon (current total: $1,587,261.99) or by calling the WorldVision.org number: 888-562-4453 (via Hugh Hewitt).
UPDATE VII. I thought that French total sounded impossibly low. Reader Heiko points to these two articles, and writes:
100,000 Euros is what cities and departements (somewhat comparable to US counties) in France are quoted as giving in the above links. Dijon for example is giving 150,000 Euros.
France is giving 15 million Euros, Germany 20 million Euros.
As with the US, these are sums given for immediate disaster relief. More is to be expected later.
Good.
UPDATE VIII. More from Heiko, in comments:
It’s kind of funny to read the comment section of this article: A French reader being happy at finally hearing that other nations are also providing help.
I suppose a lot of this is due to delays in reporting donations in other countries, without your listing I wouldn’t be aware of all the details with regards to Australia and would only know the total pledged by the Australian government.
According to this German source, more than 100 million euros have been pledged in total so far, with the European Union and Japan giving the most (30 million euros each), followed by the US (25 million euros) and Australia (20 million euros).
The total seems to be rising quickly, and it’s clearly very difficult to provide an up-to-date and accurate listing with so many people and organisations giving.
UPDATE IX. Reuters earlier:
FRANCE: Foreign Minister Michel Barnier in Sri Lanka, then Thailand. Has earmarked 100,000 euros for relief, sent 16 rescuers to Thailand, 10 tonnes aid to Sri Lanka.
Reuters now:
FRANCE: 15 million euros pledged to affected states in Southeast Asia. French authorities and aid groups decide to send 110 tonnes of aid