Skip to main content

Comedian’s Facebook followers raise a colossal $30M for Aussie bushfire aid

As devastating bushfires continue to burn across parts of Australia, a comedian from the country decided to call on her social media followers for help. And boy, did they step up.

In the space of just four days, Celeste Barber’s 8.3 million global followers across Facebook and Instagram have so far raised $30 million in a fundraiser for New South Wales’ rural firefighting efforts. That’s mighty impressive for a campaign that launched with a target of just $30,000.

Recommended Videos

“Want to join me in supporting a good cause?” Barber wrote on her Facebook page at the launch of her campaign over the weekend. “I’m raising money for The Trustee for New South Wales Rural Fire Service & Brigades Donations Fund and your contribution will make an impact, whether you donate a lot or a little. Anything helps. Thank you for your support.”

Barber indicated that some of the money would go toward buying protective masks for volunteer firefighters. Writing on Twitter, the comedian said the masks would “change the lives of firefighters forever because they wouldn’t be exposed to cancer-causing carcinogens that they are currently exposed to due to the negligence of the state government.”

Indeed, many Australian politicians have been criticized for what’s been seen as an inadequate response to the out-of-control bushfires.

In the last three months, the ongoing blazes have killed 24 people and destroyed more than 1,200 homes across New South Wales, where around 140 separate fires are burning, and neighboring Victoria, where 31 fires are currently burning.

The hot, dry weather during what is currently the Australian summer means the fires could go on burning for several more months.

In a bid to help those affected by the disaster, Prime Minister Scott Morrison, who himself recently came under fire for going on vacation to Hawaii as the crisis worsened, last weekend announced a plan for a new National Bushfire Recovery Agency aimed at coordinating a national response to rebuild the communities and livelihoods hit by the bushfires.

Keep on pushing

Barber’s fundraising campaign is continuing to pull in cash from kindhearted folks around the world.

In a video on her Facebook page, the comedian said: “So many people need help I can’t wrap my head around it … so much wildlife, it’s absolutely devastating.”

She added: “I’m going to keep pushing. I think we get as much as we can. I mean, we’ve already got so much but we have to help people completely rebuild their lives.”

With way more money coming in than expected, Barber said she planned to talk with the Rural Fire Service & Brigades this week about how the funds can be most effectively used, and promised to post an update once she has more information.

Trevor Mogg
Contributing Editor
Not so many moons ago, Trevor moved from one tea-loving island nation that drives on the left (Britain) to another (Japan)…
Bluesky finally adds a feature many had been waiting for
A blue sky with clouds.

Bluesky has been making a lot of progress in recent months by simplifying the process to sign up while at the same time rolling out a steady stream of new features.

As part of those continuing efforts, the social media app has just announced that users can now send direct messages (DMs).

Read more
Reddit just achieved something for the first time in its 20-year history
The Reddit logo.

Reddit’s on a roll. The social media platform has just turned a profit for the first time in its 20-year history, and now boasts a record 97.2 million daily active users, marking a year-over-year increase of 47%. A few times during the quarter, the figure topped 100 million, which Reddit CEO and co-founder Steve Huffman said in a letter to shareholders had been a “long-standing milestone” for the site.

The company, which went public in March, announced the news in its third-quarter earnings results on Tuesday.

Read more
Worried about the TikTok ban? This is how it might look on your phone
TikTok splash screen on an Android phone.

The US Supreme Court has decided to uphold a law that would see TikTok banned in the country on January 19. Now, the platform has issued an official statement, confirming that it will indeed shut down unless it gets some emergency relief from the outgoing president.

“Unless the Biden Administration immediately provides a definitive statement to satisfy the most critical service providers assuring non-enforcement, unfortunately TikTok will be forced to go dark on January 19,” said the company soon after the court’s verdict.
So, what does going dark mean?
So, far, there is no official statement on what exactly TikTok means by “going dark.” There is a lot of speculation out there on how exactly the app or website will look once TikTok shutters in the US.

Read more