The Salvation Army and St Vinnies have both collected tens of millions but have both distributed less than 5 million each

I don't like these big charities because I don't trust them

Many years ago my daughter was doing it tough after a marriage break up. I had my own financial problems at the time and couldn't help much. I suggested she seek out the Salvation Army...She got a box of food which was months out of date and no money. (In the end I took a loan to help her trough a tough spot)

F... the Sallies in fact f...k all of them. They are not to be trusted!

red baron wrote on Jan 24^th, 2020 at 7:47am:


Is that all they're giving - just money?

I'm not so sure. I can see why you'd need to assess people's needs and make sure any funds go to the right people and the right things.

Accommodation, I'd say is a primary need. Could they, for example, pay housing brokerage? Do deals with local motels, etc?

NSW Housing only provides 28 days, but as I understand it, they'll extend this for bushfire victims.

The big charities are now in the position where they have TOO MUCH money. They need to ensure it gets spent well, not frittered away by offering the same thing other services are providing.

red baron wrote on Jan 24^th, 2020 at 7:47am:


RC certainly have come under fire (pun intended).

A revised financial update: RC now have $115 million donated for the bush fires appeal.

Could take up to 3 years to distribute $30 million.
Only done so far, 700 grants of $10,000 each ($7 million)

Yet, $11 million could be spent on administration. Whew, splutter, cough cough.

Let’s see, you lose totally everything, clothes, roof over head, cars.
You are on foot with only clothes you wore. Those with jobs still need to go to work somehow, or else what happens to their job? Sure some bosses might be sympathetic, but a job is a job.
$10,000 can probably buy a 2nd hand vehicle to commute to work.
But all ID paperwork, credit cards, licence  etc probably all burnt. Takes time  to get it all together to prove who you are and genuinely effected, and not a scammer. $10,000 for a family seems frugal imo.

So there’s now $115 million in their reserves (not counting other accumulated monies previously collected from other disasters that a percentage was put aside for “future disasters” etc) wink wink

So with that thought of saving most this donated appeal money for “future disasters” does that mean when that future happens, none have to worry about donating in that given future?
Gee, I would have thought that whenever disasters happen, people donate at the time for the time. This overlapping of funds from past, current and future donations is being put into consolidation.

My belief was, that the money so generously given by Australians and the rest of the world, was in sympathy for this current disaster, and that’s where it should go.
Perhaps keep some in reserve for sure, but not $85 million!
How’s this looking to the rest of the world? They might think, well stuff Australia next time a disaster happens.
So happy are these organisations when disaster strike and their trust account balloons. So yeah, $10,000 for each family of 700 is chook feed.

I have no doubts other companies have put in their generous helping hand to those fire effected families,  and would love to name and fame them rightfully so.

FD wrote on Jan 24^th, 2020 at 10:12am:

red baron wrote on Jan 24^th, 2020 at 7:54am:

Sorry to hear about your experience. Going through tough times and that can happen suddenly, only those that have gone through it, calling out for help would know who helps, and who doesn’t. Those you think should help but don’t, and then those that you never thought would help but do.

Funny how you feel alone when troubled times are nigh.

cods wrote on Jan 24^th, 2020 at 10:47am:


That's always been something that's bothered me too.

I've insured my car and property since I was 16 years old.

I've never been uninsured in my adult life - not for a single day.

If you can't afford insurance, don't buy a car and house.

greggerypeccary wrote on Jan 24^th, 2020 at 10:57am:



and it increases every year and we are expected to find it....... we need to hear from people who have been through this minefield.... to see what its really like to be lose everything and be at the mercy of CHARITY.....   do these charities employ their own assessors????..

greggerypeccary wrote on Jan 24^th, 2020 at 10:57am:


It’s an old adage... you can’t afford insurance, but you can’t afford to be without it.

What really gets to me, I’m holding several insurance renewals, is the price hike each and every year. I phone to ask why as I don’t make claims to effect a higher insurance premium, I get told, because of others making claims.
So every time we see hail stone damage to cars and roof of houses, every time we see Queensland like Rockhampton for instance, with totally submerged houses, cars under flood waters, every time a fire takes hold of destroying property, cars, businesses, this is where those of us that pay insurance without claims, are paying for those that are insured during disasters.
And I say, as I wince, well up goes our insurance premiums....again!
I stay insured because I am paranoid if there is a time worm where I’m not insured is when something will happen. With our weird weather patterns we have, we must not be complacent.