Multimedia Victoria - Free Computers to Help Bushfire Affected Families Stay in Touch

Free Computers to Help Bushfire Affected Families Stay In Touch


Media release - 12 February 2009

Families affected by the recent tragic bushfires will be offered a free computer to help them stay in touch with friends and family thanks to the Brumby Government and the Australian Information Industry Association (AIIA).

The Premier John Brumby today said families affected by the bushfires want to be in regular contact with friends and loved ones and computers are an important way of staying in touch, following the most devastating natural disaster in Australia’s history.

"Many Victorians rely on applications such as Facebook and email to keep in regular contact with their community, family and friends," Mr Brumby said.

"Thanks to the generosity of many information and communication technology suppliers, we can provide a new computer free of charge to these families in need.

"These new computers will also help families create a backup copy of any photos stored on their digital cameras.”

Coordinated by the AIIA, thousands of free, fully operational computers will be offered to families and small businesses in need. Telstra has already provided free internet access at several relief centres across the state for use by the bushfire affected families.

Mr Brumby visited the Healesville Emergency Relief Centre today and said the AIIA would co-ordinate assistance from generous ICT companies, including Telstra, Data3, Hewlett Packard, Dell Computers, NEC, Microsoft, IBM, Computer Associates and Lenovo, which are providing computers and software.

AIIA CEO Ian Birks said he aimed to match service and hardware providers to bushfire survivors as part of an ongoing service to help fire-affected families and small businesses to re-establish their lives.

"The aim is to provide affected people and businesses with the tools and infrastructure required to reconnect their communities. This is a long-term commitment and the industry will stand by these communities as basic ICT services are restored," Mr Birks said.

"The AIIA is developing a similar support program for people hit by the Queensland floods, and it is tremendous to see the ICT sector’s generosity now extended to Victoria."

AIIA has worked with national not-for-profit organisation InfoXchange Australia to create a website facility to repair ICT facilities that had been destroyed by the fires, register calls for assistance from families and businesses and then find volunteers who can help install technology and software and get people and businesses back on track.

The Minister for ICT, John Lenders praised this initiative coordinated by some of the state’s most dynamic and innovative industry providers.

"This technology is an important way for families to stay in contact with each other and to start rebuilding their communities. I congratulate the AIIA and its members for helping our shattered communities as they strive to recover," Mr Lenders said.

Mr Lenders thanked the ICT companies offering support and assistance in this relief effort including AMC Training Centre, Apple, Australian Computer Society (ACS), Australian Information Industry Association (AIIA), Australian Reseller News (ARN), Aztec Technologies, Brookstone Technologies, Computer Associates (CA), Computers Off Australia (COA), CVT Global, Data#3, Decideware, Dell, e-Centric Innovations, eGov, Google, Hasee Australia, Hewlett-Packard, IBM, InfoXchange, Intel, KAZ Group, McAfee, Melbourne IT, Microsoft, Morphium3, NEC, PS , Consulting Corporation, Simple Net, SMS Management & Technology, Technisoft, Telstra, Verizon Business and Waugh Partners.