Rozelle Fire donations process criticised

There has been disagreement in the ranks of Leichhardt Council over the management of funds raised during the Rozelle fire appeal to help those affected by the blast in October that killed three people, including a mother and her baby.

Former Mayor, Darcy Byrne says that the distribution of the money does not take into account the emotional trauma of the victims’ families.

“I initiated the Rozelle Fire Appeal so that so that local people could make donations and do something practical to help the families of the victims,” Councillor Byrne said.

“People of goodwill have donated more than $220 000, essentially in the names of Bianka, Jude and Chris Noble’s families. The vast majority of that money should be going to those people, who have lost so much.

“At the moment it seems that Bianka and Chris’s families will only receive a token amount which is just plain wrong.

But Mayor Rochelle Porteous says the money is being allocated the way it was always going to be under the committee Cr Byrne set up.

“Council decided from day one that it was important that the decision-making process and administration of the funds be made by a committee representing the wider community and that decisions be at an arm’s length to council to ensure they were not subject to political interference,” she said.

This committee is made up of the Principal of Rozelle Public School, the President of the Rozelle and Balmain Chamber of Commerce, a representative of local residents, two representatives from the Rozelle Bendigo Bank, the Manager of the Rozelle Neighbourhood Centre and a senior Leichhardt Counil staffer.

A statement from the committee read “100% of funds received will go directly to the eligible applicants with none going into administration costs. It is intended that all funds will be allocated by 31 December 2014.”