Tammy Hembrow, an Australian Instagram star and social media influencer with more than 10.5 million followers, generated some controversy online after a recent post about the Australian Wildfires. Hembrow shared a photo in an effort to raise money for the wildfires, but it was immediately slammed as “tone deaf.”
Hembrow posed in a wet t-shirt and shared a link to the swim and athleticwear brand Saski Collection, according to the Daily Telegraph.
She captioned the photo, “100% profits today are going to emergency relief for the Australian bushfires.” After receiving backlash, Hembrow temporarily deactivated her Instagram account.
You can view the since-deleted post here.
https://www.instagram.com/p/B5SGOm0nZ6r/
https://www.instagram.com/p/B5QsWhrHi86/
https://www.instagram.com/p/B5GaL_bn2ln/
https://www.instagram.com/p/B5D85yTHBAY/
https://www.instagram.com/p/B46Rjt7HQud/
https://www.instagram.com/p/B4d6OInHARJ/
https://www.instagram.com/p/B4Dno-4nPom/
https://www.instagram.com/p/B3dM03ZHXze/
https://www.instagram.com/p/B3VKUv2nB1Z/
https://www.instagram.com/p/B3XtllBHv8C/
She later returned to social media and posted a new photo, but the caption remained the same. Saski Collection later added they have donated more than $22,000 to Wildlife Rescue South Coast.
https://www.instagram.com/p/B69-woHHd8D/
The wildfires in Australia have accounted for at least 24 deaths since October. More than 1,300 homes and businesses have been destroyed in the inferno and it is believed that hundreds of thousands of wildlife have been killed.
As the crisis in Australia continues with wildfires raging across the country, there has also been an alarming amount of arson arrests in recent months as firefighters attempt to control the blazes. According to a report from The Australian, more than 180 arrests have been made related to arson during the bushfire season.
A total of 183 arrests have come across Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia, and Tasmania, while a majority of the arrests have come in Queensland. Per the report, 101 people have been picked up for setting fires in Queensland including 32 adults and 69 juveniles.
Melbourne University associate professor Janet Stanley said that a majority of the arsonists are either young males between the ages of 12 and 24 or older men who are in their 60s.
