Renowned conductor Jennifer Condon will return to her home city of Wollongong later this month for a special concert to raise funds for the bushfire crisis.
Delivering a Lord Mayoral Minute on the bushfire crisis at last night’s Council meeting, Wollongong City Lord Mayor Councillor Gordon Bradbery AM said the concert would take place on 29 February–1 March.
Funds raised from the concert would be given to Mayors in neighbouring local governments to distribute to fire-affected communities as they see fit.
“These Mayors have done an outstanding job in difficult circumstances,” Cr Bradbery said. “As we all have experienced, this has been a horrific summer, with 33 lives lost and consequences for people’s health and wellbeing that will be felt for years to come.
“It’s hard to comprehend that the fires burnt through 110,000 square kilometres – that’s 154 times our local government area.
“It’s important that we acknowledge pain, to give legitimacy to people’s responses. Directly or indirectly, many of us have been affected, all of us have been traumatised.
“There is nothing normal about this. We stand in solidarity with those who are faced with having to rebuild their lives.”
Council voted unanimously in support of the Mayoral Minute to:
- Acknowledge the loss of life and trauma experienced by those directly impacted by the bushfire crisis.
- Acknowledge and thank emergency services, especially Rural Fire Service personnel, for their efforts in managing the bushfire crisis.
- Organise an opportunity for the community to officially acknowledge and thank emergency services.
- Acknowledge and thank the Council staff who, under the leadership of the General Manager, have provided support to emergency services and neighbouring Councils.
- Recognise the outstanding efforts of Mayors, Councillors and staff of our neighbouring Councils who are in midst of the bushfire crisis and recovery.
- Offer continued support to our neighbouring Councils as determined by the General Manager.
Council also voted in favour of an amendment by Councillor Mithra Cox to thank the ABC and its staff, acknowledging that during the height of the crisis, radio was often the most up-to-date communication channel and, during power and phone outages, the only channel for people to access life-saving information.
