Fed: Please adopt a bushfire community: Govt

AAP General News (Australia)
02-15-2009
Fed: Please adopt a bushfire community: Govt

CANBERRA, Feb 15 AAP - People have been urged to adopt a bushfire-ravaged community
by kitting out their sports clubs, churches and kindergartens with new gear.

Federal Finance Minister Lindsay Tanner said ordinary people could make a big difference
to the emotional recovery of fire victims.

"A local cricket club will lose its ground, but it's probably lost its gear as well,
kinders ... won't have toys, they won't have books," the Melbourne MP told Network Ten
on Sunday.

"I'd like to see other community groups, organisations, around the state, around the
country ... partnering with those organisations, with those communities, to help contribute
those things.

"It will mean a lot more if that gear has come from your mates down the road, than
from a cheque from the government."

"Now, that's not to let us off the hook."

Governments stood ready to spend as much as was needed to construct buildings and other
infrastructure, but there was a role for communities to play in "emotional rebuilding",
Mr Tanner said.

Amid speculation about class actions against governments or private companies over
the devastating bushfires, Mr Tanner could not say if the federal government would fight
any class action lodged against it.

He said any such actions were more likely to be lodged against the Victorian government
because it had primary responsibility.

The federal government would work through legal issues if and when they arose, Mr Tanner said.

AAP ca/cdh

KEYWORD: BUSHFIRES VIC TANNER

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