One of the nation's leading church-based charity groups, the Salvation Army, has been left off the committee that will oversee bushfire appeal funds. Despite raising more than $12 million for bushfire victims and already distributing $1.4 million in cash, the Salvation Army will not play a role in overseeing the operation of distributing the millions raised. Opposition community services spokesman Tony Abbott called for the inclusion of the Salvation Army. "The Salvation Army are always there when times are tough, without any favouritism as to race or creed," Mr Abbott said. "The Salvos are at least as active as any other welfare group. It is disappointing they aren't being given a look-in at official level. "For some reason -- maybe it is because of their Christian orientation, maybe because they were thought to be close to the Howard government -- the Rudd Government is giving them the cold shoulder. It is wrong and it should stop immediately." Salvation Army spokesman Neil Venables said the organisation was ready to respond to any invitation. "We would hope that it's not because of our Christian values and the perception that we were close to the previous government," Major Venables said. "We were committed to working with the Howard government, as we are committed to working with the Rudd Government. "It is not about political persuasion; it is about how we most effectively fulfil our mission. At times like this, the Army has the ability to do its best work." Sources within the Salvation Army said many officers had been "gobsmacked and bewildered" by their failure to be included in government planning and co-ordination, including being omitted from the Victorian Bushfire Appeal Fund Advisory Panel. The administration costs of the official government-Red Cross appeal are being picked up by the Government, but the same offer has not been extended to the Salvation Army Bushfire Appeal. Source: Compiled by APN from media reportsI really hope this is rectified. The Salvation Army are one of the most trusted charity organisations in Australia (quite apart from being a church), and to exclude them from this process is foolishness. This is especially so considering how much they have already contributed to the relief of the misery caused by the tragedy, and the overt Christianity of our Prime Minister, Mr Kevin Rudd. To be denied a mission field such as this strikes me as a real miscarriage of justice. What do you think? Even if you don't know much about the fires, or Australia, tell me how you think the government, the church and secular charity organisations shoud / can work together in times like these.
Preposterousness
pre·pos·ter·ous [priˈpostərəs] adj : absurd; or ... how God's ways appear to man
worshipper. hubby. daddy. ex-pat Aussie. music lover. accountant. occasional creator of electronica. ERP nerd. media+web for Exchange Church. owner of freaky thumbs.
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I only blog here occasionally, as most of my blogging energies go into the Exchange Church Blog, so you might also like to head over there for more of thoughts.
Snubbed. Gobsmacked. Bewildered.
For reasons which currently are not public, a completely ludicrous decision has been made today.
National Day Of Mourning
I've posted about the fires and and heat and floods before but I'm doing it again. This has been an incredible tragedy no matter how you look at it.
Lots of finger pointing and blame has been going on in all sectors, including the Church, but I'm not going to join in that debate right now. It is too soon, too raw a nerve. Let's first have a time of mourning. I believe that's what God is requiring us to do. In my previous posts I said we should 'weep with those who are weeping' now. Ensuring we are good stewards of our planet can come after we have comforted those who need comfort.
The press release for the day is below, along with a further reminder of how some of our precious and cute wildlife have been affected.
For further information, an excellent documentary on the fires was shown down here this past Monday, and can be found here.
SUNDAY 22nd FEBRUARY 2009
Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has announced that a national day of mourning for all victims of the recent Victorian bushfires would be held on Sunday.
"This day will give all Australians the chance to reflect and remember this terrible tragedy, as an important step in rebuilding these communities," Rudd said in a statement.
The day the fires swept through homes and towns -- February 7 -- would be etched in the nation's memory as a day of "disaster, death and mourning" and it was important to reflect on the tragedy, he said.
A memorial service in Melbourne at the Rod Laver Arena, the huge stadium that is the home of the Australian Open tennis tournament, is expected to be broadcast live on television and radio.
