The Australian Government will immediately donate $A10 million to the American Red Cross to assist those most affected by the devastation wrought by Hurricane Katrina.
The Red Cross is one of the leading charitable organisations working directly on the ground with victims to provide urgent supplies of food, water and shelter.
In addition to this, as an immediate first step, the Government is sending a small team of emergency management specialists. The team will work through our Embassy with the Americans urgently to identify in what fields further practical Australian assistance might be most effective.
The Government has also offered the American authorities a further group of between 15-20 experts to help provide emergency assistance on the ground.
We have offered help in areas where specialist Australian expertise might be useful in public health and in disaster victim identification where our recent experience in our region may be valuable.
Australians wishing to make donations may do so through the Australian Red Cross. The Government has approved tax deductibility for all such donations.
Australian consular officials are now on the ground at the Astrodome in Houston to receive evacuated Australians and provide consular assistance as required.