Efforts to help those affected by the fires are being spearheaded by the Australian Red Cross, and there is a Jersey connection to the organisation’s work as one Islander is playing a part in the relief project.
Former Hautlieu and Les Quennevais student Sarah Renouf, the daughter of Health Minister Richard Renouf, has been in Australia on a working holiday since summer 2018 and, in January this year, successfully applied for a job with the Red Cross.
The organisation has raised A$216 million – around £117 million – since the eight-month wave of bushfires started in July last year. The blazes peaked in December and January, when large swathes of the country were affected.
Miss Renouf (30) is part of a team of 37 dealing with applications for grants from those affected by the fires, with almost half of the funds having been distributed already and longer-term support scheduled.
‘I had been back to Jersey briefly at Christmas and was looking to get involved when I returned to Australia,’ she said. ‘It’s not a role that you can necessarily have qualifications for but I think my background in psychology and previous work meant I had the empathy and compassion that’s required.’
Having been office-based for the first few weeks of her new job, Miss Renouf has been working from her home in Melbourne since restrictions related to the coronavirus pandemic were introduced in March.
‘It’s been a challenging role, but very fulfilling to be helping people get back on their feet and to see pictures of how the grants have been used,’ she said. ‘Some people have been quite overcome when we have spoken to them – they’ve had a terrible time, but the community has come together and people are very grateful when we’re able to help.’
Miss Renouf and her colleagues are involved in processing grant applications and speaking to applicants where further information or paperwork is required.
‘Working from home has been an additional challenge,but we have daily calls with our team leader and you just have to remember to take time out when not working,’ she added.
As of 25 May, A$102 million had been spent or disbursed by the Red Cross. This included A$91m paid in grants to 4,053 people, A$5m in emergency initiatives while the fires were still blazing, and administration costs that are currently estimated at less than 4% of each dollar donated.
As well as helping victims repair or rebuild their homes, grants have also helped those who were injured as a result of the fires or suffered a bereavement.
Having travelled to many different parts of the country during the early stages of her time in Australia, as well as spending three months packing eggs on a poultry farm in rural New South Wales, Miss Renouf is hoping to extend her current visa in order to be able to complete her Red Cross contract in August. She also hopes to visit other parts of the country before returning to Jersey later this year.
