“The Australian public are inherently caring and generous, and are often willing to give their time or money to support those facing a crisis,” said Susan Pascoe AM, Commissioner of the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission (ACNC).

Ms Pascoe urged Australians to donate to established humanitarian aid charities in order to avoid scams and ensure donations are used to full effect.

Established charities are registered with the ACNC and can be found on the ACNC Charity Register.

Marc Purcell, the Executive Director of the Australian Council for International Development (ACFID), the peak body for Australia’s aid organisations, reiterated Ms Pascoe’s comments about the need for the public to donate wisely.