THE SUNDAY TELEGRAPH

RUSTY, ONJ JOIN FIRE FIGHT CONCERT
The Sunday Telegraph (Sydney)
16 Feb 2020
KATHY McCABE NATIONAL MUSIC WRITER

Olivia NewtonJohn ready to perform with John Farnham. Picture: Ben Symons/Foxtel

OSCAR winner Russell Crowe will be a special guest and showbiz legend Olivia Newton-John will perform for the first time in two years to help raise money for victims of the bushfire disaster.

The two Aussie superstars will join the Foxtel broadcast of today’s Fire Fight Australia charity concert.

Crowe has been filming special segments for the show at his Coffs Harbour valley property highlighting the devastation and calling for action on climate change. He will present a tribute to the 33 people who lost their lives in the disaster.

Newton-John will join her lifelong friend John Farnham to perform a song together during the final set of the 10-hour concert.

“I haven’t done a show in two years and I wasn’t really planning on doing any more but for this event, and to sing with John, it’s just going to be a phenomenal day,” she said.

The beloved entertainer, who has become an advocate for medicinal cannabis since her stage 4 breast cancer diagnosis in 2017, will also open the live Foxtel broadcast of the concert and launch the international feeds to air in the US, UK and New Zealand.

She said the concert was not only a vehicle to raise funds for the recovery effort but also a symbolic group hug for those who now face a long road to rebuilding their lives after the unprecedented disaster.

“Music can uplift you, can take you to a place of joy and the concert will show those people in regional places that yes, we care about you and we are doing what we can to raise funds for recovery,” she said.

Her message to the world to open the show, which quotes Dorothea Mackellar cultural treasure My Country, not only appeals to her fans worldwide to support Australia but assures them our national spirit will triumph over this disaster.

“The outpouring of love and support from around the world has been heartwarming, uplifting and a source of inspiration. Thank you,” she said. “We have a lot to do to recover and rebuild. And we will. That’s what Aussies do.”

Crowe has devoted most of the past week supporting his local community as it attempts to rebuild after the bushfires. He hosted Foundation for Rural and Regional Renewal CEO Natalie Egleton, who travelled to his property to see the local effort to rebuild.

“Russell was very generous and I’m very grateful to him for taking the time to show me around his property and for introducing me to some local people to hear about the recovery needs in the area,” she said.

“It was clear just how ferocious the fire was and how genuinely Russell cares about his community’s recovery and resilience. FRRR is immensely appreciative of his support.”

Foxtel’s executive director of television Brian Walsh asked Newton-John to open the broadcast not only because of her international fanbase but because she embodies the Australian fighting spirit.

“Olivia is a much loved and iconic Australian, who is known by audiences around the globe. She embodies the Aussie spirit more than anyone,” he said. “Her care and compassion for causes such as this make her the perfect choice to welcome Australia and the world to this landmark event.”

The film and pop superstar also hopes the concert serves to underscore the efforts of those advocating for urgent action on climate change.

“I think we have seen the beauty of social media to unite people at times like this. It can be annoying at times but it proved to be really powerful during the bushfires,” she said. “It shows we are all connected, that it really isn’t that big a planet, over the past few weeks because the fire affected everyone and made us realise just how vulnerable the planet is with climate change. I hope action happens.”

Supermodel Miranda Kerr and her husband Evan Spiegel have donated $3million to the bushfire appeal. A video message from Kerr will be aired during the concert tonight.

FOXTEL WILL BROADCAST FIRE FIGHT AUSTRALIA LIVE AND UNINTERRUPTED FROM 12 NOON ON FOX8, CHANNEL V AND VIA THEIR STREAMING SERVICES. IT IS ALSO SCREENED DELAYED ON CHANNEL 7.

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Targets shift as Olivia’s set to shine

The Sunday Times
16 Feb 2020
KATHY MCCABE

NOT one cent of the astonishing $52 million raised by comedian Celeste Barber for bushfire relief has been spent and is instead sitting in a trust account as lawyers argue over what to do with it.

The money was pledged to the NSW Rural Fire Service but Barber, left, and many of the 1.3 million who donated to her campaign, want it to be shared among disaster relief and wildlife charities, as well as to benefit firefighters in Victoria and South Australia. Lawyers for Barber and the RFS must this week sort out whether it is legally possible to share the money around. Barber has already met with RFS bosses over the issue and both parties are working together to try to find a solution. A source said it was “common knowledge” among emergency service workers involved in fire recovery planning that Barber was frustrated to learn the money could not be spent “on the ground”.

But there will be an almighty roar when Olivia Newton-John steps on to the Fire Fight Australia stage today to perform in public for the first time in two years.

Australia’s godmother of pop, right, will join lifelong friend John Farnham in a duet during the final set of the 10-hour concert. “I haven’t done a show in two years and I wasn’t really planning on doing any more, but for this event, and to sing with John, it’s just going to be a phenomenal day,” Newton-John said.

The beloved entertainer, who has become an advocate for medicinal cannabis since her stage four breast cancer diagnosis in 2017, will also open the Channel

7’s live broadcast of the concert and launch the international feeds to air in the US, UK and New Zealand.

She said the concert was not only a vehicle to raise funds for the recovery effort but also a symbolic group hug for those who faced the long road to rebuilding their lives.

“Music can uplift you, can take you to a place of joy and the concert will show those people in regional places that, yes, we care about you and we are doing what we can to raise funds for recovery,” she said.

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FROM KAY