The City of Busselton council has joined a long list of community organisations and local retailers, pledging to financially support the bushfire recovery efforts in the eastern states.
In the wake of the bushfire crisis, the state's local government association is understood to have recommended that councils across WA donate to several bushfire relief funds.
The Busselton council has agreed to donate to six funds, including the Australian Red Cross Disaster Relief and Recovery Fund, St Vincent De Paul Vinnies Bushfire Appeal, the Salvation Army Disaster Appeal, the Victorian Bushfire Appeal, the Kangaroo Island Mayor's Relief and Recovery Bushfire Fund and the Foundation for Rural and Regional Renewal Disaster Resilience and Recovery Fund.
It is understood the council has opted to donate $1,000 to each of the funds, a decision City of Busselton mayor Grant Henley said acknowledged the gravity of the situation.
Mr Henley said that while many had made personal donations to a number of funds, it was important for the city to respond collectively as a community.
"Council is confident that community members will support a contribution to this cause from our municipal funds," Mr Henley said.
"A $6000 donation is not excessive, but it is worthwhile.
"If all WA councils pledge similar amounts, and I am confident that many will, the local government sector will have gone a long way to helping residents, businesses, emergency response volunteers and the Australian wildlife which has been so gravely impacted.
"Council has donated these funds on behalf of the community because we believe it is the right thing to do."
With many regional towns across the eastern states having been decimated by the fires, Mr Henley reminded the community that the South West was not immune to similar threats.
In this week's edition, we chat to the generous local organisations and businesses doing their bit to raise funds for the bushfire recovery effort.
For more, see page 4 and 15.
