After a rollercoaster ride from hero to "villain" - at least according to some sections of the media - infamous Q&A questioner Duncan Storrar has found a way to disperse the $60,000 he never asked for.
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On Friday, the man behind a GoFundMe campaign originally set up to "Buy Duncan Storrar a toaster", Samuel Fawcett, posted an update announcing that "Duncan has decided that the money will not be spent on himself".
Mr Storrar, a 45-year-old Geelong father struggling to support his young family on piecemeal truck-driving work and a $520-a-fortnight Austudy allowance, was unwittingly thrown into the national spotlight when he posed a question on ABC's Q&A.
"You're gonna lift the tax-free threshold for rich people," he said. "Why don't I get it? Why do they get it?"
He was referring to the government's move to lift the upper end of the 32.5 cent tax bracket from $80,000 to $87,000 - saving $315 a year for people earning more than $80,000.
The result was a fundraising campaign that unexpectedly raised $60,000. It led to a backlash from many - including Mr Storrar's 20-year-old son who said the money should instead be donated to charity.
On Friday, Mr Fawcett wrote that it had "taken quite a while working behind the scenes with multiple parties to reach a good outcome for Duncan from the fundraiser".
He said that Mr Storrar had contacted legal aid service Justice Connect, who had referred the matter to Melbourne legal firm Best Hooper. The firm will act on a pro bono basis to establish a trust to disperse the funds.
Mr Fawcett said Mr Storrar's brother and a partner at Best Hooper would act as trustees.
"The majority of the money is to be retained to cover costs for his young children's future secondary education," he said.
However, one-tenth of the funds will go to buying a toaster - of sorts - for charity.
"You may be pleased to hear that Duncan will indeed buy a $6000 toaster," Mr Fawcett said. "Well, an oven, anyway. Duncan has decided to donate $6000 to The Father Bob Foundation to assist in buying an oven to cook food for the homeless – of which they are in desperate need."
He said Mr Storrar had also decided to donate $5000 to a Men's Shed in the rural town where he took refuge amid the media storm following his Q&A appearance.
