Duncan Storrar 'freaked out' by toaster campaign; $60k crowdfunding campaign on hold.

Q&A audience member Duncan Storrar is “freaked out” by the attention a crowdfunding campaign to buy him a toaster has delivered, and donations have been put on hold, the GoFundMe campaign creator says.

On Q&A on Monday, Mr Storrar asked a question about why people earning over $80,000 got a tax break in the budget, with Assistant Treasurer and Small Business Minister Kelly O’Dwyer mentioning a cafe business buying a $6,000 toaster in response.

GoFundMe campaign creator Samuel Fawcett said in a post on the platform on Thursday night that Mr Storrar was safe and appreciative, but was struggling with the fame the campaign had brought.

“The public interest has been matched by media interest, and it turns out being in the middle of a media storm can be tough,” Mr Fawcett wrote on Thursday.

“We heard from Duncan today. He has told us that he is struggling with attention and plans to take some time away.

“His privacy should be respected. He also said he is feeling a bit ‘freaked out’ but wants you all to know he is safe and really appreciates the giving.”

Duncan Storrar told the ABC the money raised would go towards his daughters’ education.

“I really want people to know I haven’t orchestrated this. I just asked a question,” he said in a statement.

“But I’m really grateful to the people of Australia for their generosity to my daughters. At my insistence any money that comes to my family from this fundraiser will be put in trust for daughters’ secondary education.”

Donations halted as questions asked about managing money

The GoFundMe campaign has raised more than $60,000 for Mr Storrar, but Mr Fawcett acknowledged there had been legitimate questions around how the money would be managed.

“We have now been in touch with a couple of community service organisations in Victoria asking for assistance establishing a framework to manage your donations,” he wrote, but said the key thing was that the money was given to Mr Storrar.

He asked for a “halt on any more donations” as there was “a limit to our ability to manage” the contributions.

On Monday, Mr Storrar addressed the Q&A panel: “I’ve got a disability and a low education, that means I’ve spent my whole life working for minimum wage. You’re going to lift the tax-free threshold for rich people.

“If you lift my tax-free threshold, that changes my life. That means that I get to say to my little girls, ‘Daddy’s not broke this weekend, we can go to the pictures’.

“Rich people don’t even notice their tax-free threshold lift. Why don’t I get it? Why do they get it?”

Ms O’Dwyer responded saying company tax cuts would help businesses, like a cafe she spoke to which needed to buy a $6,000 toaster to boost business.

On Thursday, Mr Fawcett said Mr Storrar was overwhelmed by the generosity of Australians.

This post originally appeared on ABC News.

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