Increased Burma aid offer 'pathetic'

The federal government fears a calamity if help doesn't get to the millions of Burmese left homeless and hungry after Cyclone Nargis savaged their country.

Australia has boosted its aid to the cyclone-ravaged nation to $25 million but has great fears about the impact of the ruling military junta's continued refusal to accept international help.

More than a week after the cyclone, Burma's ruling generals are still blocking entry for many foreign aid workers, as well as impounding a number of flights of emergency supplies.

Foreign Minister Stephen Smith stressed the scale of the tragedy made it imperative for Burma's ruling regime to accept assistance.

"It's a human tragedy on a mammoth scale which no one nation can handle," he said.

But the federal opposition says Australia's increased aid offer to Burma of $25 million is still "totally inadequate".

Opposition foreign affairs spokesman Andrew Robb says that $25 million still isn't enough.

"We must offer many times what we've offered to date," Mr Robb told ABC Radio on Monday.

"This is one country with over a million people homeless as a result of the cyclone and 50,000 people dead.

"This is a totally inadequate amount. It's pathetic."

Last week former foreign minister Alexander Downer labelled the initial $3 million amount "pathetic".

But Mr Smith defended the government's contribution.

"There's no shortage of a generous international contribution to try and meet the crisis," Mr Smith told ABC Radio.

Mr Smith says now isn't the time for "point scoring".

"Either domestically, in Australian politics, or indeed to score political points against the Burmese regime."

Mr Smith says the essential problem is getting access to Burma.

"That's why, behind the scenes, we've been very much upping our diplomatic efforts, from the prime minister down seeking ... to persuade the regime to open up," he said.

With relief still to reach many of the victims, estimates of the death toll continue to grow as hunger and disease emerge as new threats.

About 100,000 people are feared dead and at least 1.5 million have been left homeless after the cyclone hit the south of the country.

Mr Smith repeated Australia's plea for the Burmese military to allow the international community into the country to help with disaster relief.

"If that assistance is not provided, then our great fear is that in the next few days ... disease will take hold and the adverse consequences will be on an enormous, calamitous scale," he said.

The Australian Greens say the $25 million the federal government has pledged for cyclone-devastated Burma should be just a "downpayment" on further assistance.

Greens senator Christine Milne welcomed the Rudd government's pledged aid for Burma but said the devastated country would need more funds.

"What we need to hear from the government is that the 25 million was a downpayment, that the efforts are in the diplomacy at the moment, of getting the aid workers and the aid in there," she told reporters in Canberra.

"But we also want to hear a reassurance about the dollar figure that's coming, once we get the country open to that assistance."

Senator Milne said a "massive diplomatic effort" was needed to get Burma to accept international help.

Aid organisations are urging Australians not to let the political climate in Burma discourage them from contributing to the disaster relief effort.

More than $3 million has been donated through five separate Australian appeals as aid starts to trickle into the cyclone ravaged country.

But the military junta is continuing to frustrate efforts to reach desperate communities now in danger of starvation and disease.

Some aid organisations say this has affected donations but have moved to assure donors their money is going where it's needed most.

Caritas Australia chief executive Jack de Groot said donations to the organisation were not on par with other appeals but overall the response was "good and generous", with almost $200,000 raised so far.

He warned people should not use Burma's political strife "as an excuse to do nothing".

"Whilst people may have their doubts at the moment, people really need to think that this is going to have a long term impact on this country where people are already in extreme crisis.

"The terrible side-effect of the doubts that people have could be an inaction to respond."

Care Australia chief executive Julia Newton-Howes said politics was "a factor" in the appeal, which hit $423,000 on Monday, but donations were also generous.

"I do think it's a factor, people have asked us how can we be sure our funds aren't going to be taken by the regime and we're assuring them that ... our staff are controlling the funds and the distribution of items," she said.

The Red Cross, which has raised almost $1.75 million, including government donations, said it was difficult to compare appeals.

World Vision was expecting their tally to hit $1 million on Monday and spokesman Dominic McInerney said they had no evidence people were reluctant to donate.

In Burma many agencies are relying on existing supplies and aid networks to get relief through.

Mr de Groot said Caritas had spent $US100,000 ($A106,416) distributing existing food and supplies in Burma via 30 local staff and volunteers.

But tonnes more was on standby awaiting permission from Burmese authorities to land.

Care Australia has 800 staff on the ground, delivering food and water in and around Rangoon.

But its distribution efforts have been hampered because the UN and other agencies have been unable to get supplies in, Ms Newton-Howes said.

She said Care had permission to air lift survival kits from Bangkok, containing tarpaulins, food and clean water storages targeting 50,000 families.

World Vision has mobilised 600 staff on the ground who have helped more than 78,000 people in Rangoon with food, clean water and other urgent supplies.

Mr McInerney said they were also purifying water sources, distributing medical supplies, mosquito nets and disinfectants.

Oxfam has raised more than $50,000, with proceeds going to local and international NGOs operating in Burma.