Australia becomes largest donor to tsunami event at a whopping US$810 million

Right now Oz is awash in a spirit of giving ... kids are emptying their piggy banks, baking and selling cookies, donating their pocket money. If you think this is lame Thich ... well - all I can say is ... sigh ... yeah whatever.

Originally posted by c_au
Right now Oz is awash in a spirit of giving ... kids are emptying their piggy banks, baking and selling cookies, donating their pocket money. If you think this is lame Thich ... well - all I can say is ... sigh ... yeah whatever.

c_au, i agree with your sentiments that the tsunami aid effort is not a contest.

Here is a link to the tsunami telethon you refer to.

The nation's compassion for victims of the tsunami continues unabated, with more than $15 million pledged during a concert and telethon simulcast on three TV networks tonight.

Australian commercial television networks put aside traditional rivalries for the first time�to simultaneously broadcast the�fundraising concert from the forecourt of� the Sydney Opera House.

Millions�watched the concert on television as a host of celebrities manned telephones in Melbourne to accept donations for the charity World Vision.

By 2145 AEDT, the tally was up to $15.1 million including�$750,000 donations from Channel Seven and Channel Ten, and 500,000 donations from BHP Billiton and McDonalds Australia.

I think it is quite obvioius why. Australia wishes to be included in the SEATO treaty. I believe Indonesia ws prohibiting this entry... so Aust. wants to impress them and help them out. Logical.

PS. my knoledge of this is outdated, but last time I checked, nothing was hapenning.

I believe SEATO was disestablished in the 70s... I could be wrong.

thanks,
drfunk

Not thinking of ASEAN (Association of South East Asian Nations) are you?

The Australian economy is doing well, extremely well. Indonesia is an old neighbour. Neighbours get into disagreements sometimes, but they will remain neighbours. I really do not think that the aid being given by any country at this time is to score brownie points. I laud their efforts. The spirit of giving and helping binds a nation and hopefully will allow these neighbours to grow closer.