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| NSW fires live: premier says ‘not much left in Balmoral’ as South Australia bushfires continue to rage – latest | NSW fires live: premier says ‘not much left in Balmoral’ as South Australia bushfires continue to rage – latest |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| PM says link between extreme weather and climate change won’t change policy. Victoria and SA still under bushfire threat as NSW surveys damage. Follow the latest news and updates | PM says link between extreme weather and climate change won’t change policy. Victoria and SA still under bushfire threat as NSW surveys damage. Follow the latest news and updates |
| Anthony Albanese’s office has just released the transcript to the press conference, which includes this line at the end: | |
| That would be the headquarters Scott Morrison held his “I have returned” press conference from this morning. | |
| From my time covering state politics in Queensland, those decisions are usually up to the state government. | |
| You can hear the terror and the frustration in this video. | You can hear the terror and the frustration in this video. |
| These fires – they are different. It’s not just authorities saying it. It’s those on the ground, the “quiet Australians” who have lived through previous seasons, but not like this. | These fires – they are different. It’s not just authorities saying it. It’s those on the ground, the “quiet Australians” who have lived through previous seasons, but not like this. |
| Which is why politicians saying they’ve seen smoke haze in Sydney before, or that we’ve always had fires, or quoting Dorothea Mackellar is not good enough, on any measure. | Which is why politicians saying they’ve seen smoke haze in Sydney before, or that we’ve always had fires, or quoting Dorothea Mackellar is not good enough, on any measure. |
| NSW police say a man is missing in Lithgow, following a fire. | NSW police say a man is missing in Lithgow, following a fire. |
| From AAP: NSW police say a man is missing from the rural village of Bell after a huge bushfire tore through the Lithgow area, destroying dozens of buildings. | From AAP: NSW police say a man is missing from the rural village of Bell after a huge bushfire tore through the Lithgow area, destroying dozens of buildings. |
| The man in his 60 or 70s lives on a remote property in Bell and the area was engulfed in fire on Saturday, NSW police chief inspector Chris Sammut said on Sunday. | The man in his 60 or 70s lives on a remote property in Bell and the area was engulfed in fire on Saturday, NSW police chief inspector Chris Sammut said on Sunday. |
| Another elderly man who had been missing from neighbouring Dargan has been located “safe and sound”, the Rural Fire Service tweeted on Sunday morning. | Another elderly man who had been missing from neighbouring Dargan has been located “safe and sound”, the Rural Fire Service tweeted on Sunday morning. |
| He was found at an evacuation centre in Lithgow which was threatened by the huge Gospers Mountain megafire over the weekend. | He was found at an evacuation centre in Lithgow which was threatened by the huge Gospers Mountain megafire over the weekend. |
| Sammut said the man who was still unaccounted for lived on one of the remotest properties in Bell. | Sammut said the man who was still unaccounted for lived on one of the remotest properties in Bell. |
| “He may have self-evacuated or went to stay with friends and we want the public to let us know any information they have to assist us locate this missing person,” he said. | “He may have self-evacuated or went to stay with friends and we want the public to let us know any information they have to assist us locate this missing person,” he said. |
| Sammut confirmed up to five properties were burned in Lithgow on Saturday while about 30 buildings were lost in Clarence and Dargan. | Sammut confirmed up to five properties were burned in Lithgow on Saturday while about 30 buildings were lost in Clarence and Dargan. |
| Those numbers include sheds and other structures. | Those numbers include sheds and other structures. |
| About 350 residential homes in Lithgow remained without power on Sunday afternoon. | About 350 residential homes in Lithgow remained without power on Sunday afternoon. |
| For those who missed the prime minister’s press conference, here is the beginning, including where he apologises for causing anxiety: | For those who missed the prime minister’s press conference, here is the beginning, including where he apologises for causing anxiety: |
| Bits and pieces are slowly coming out of Balmoral. | Bits and pieces are slowly coming out of Balmoral. |
| Anthony Albanese says he won’t be leaving Australia this summer, and thanked David Littleproud for being “exemplary” in providing the opposition with briefings. | Anthony Albanese says he won’t be leaving Australia this summer, and thanked David Littleproud for being “exemplary” in providing the opposition with briefings. |
| Back to Scott Morrison’s decision to leave Australia, Anthony Albanese says: | Back to Scott Morrison’s decision to leave Australia, Anthony Albanese says: |
| Anthony Albanese on Scott Morrison’s assertion his government won’t be changing its emissions reduction policy: | Anthony Albanese on Scott Morrison’s assertion his government won’t be changing its emissions reduction policy: |
| Anthony Albanese on Scott Morrison’s return from Hawaii. (Earlier in the week, Albanese said he would not be criticising the PM for taking leave.) | Anthony Albanese on Scott Morrison’s return from Hawaii. (Earlier in the week, Albanese said he would not be criticising the PM for taking leave.) |
| Australian Associated Press has an update on the South Australian situation: | Australian Associated Press has an update on the South Australian situation: |
| Smoke from the Adelaide Hills bushfire had dropped the city’s air quality rating to poor. | Smoke from the Adelaide Hills bushfire had dropped the city’s air quality rating to poor. |
| The Environment Protection Authority says air quality readings are improving but parts of the hills and metropolitan area remain affected by bushfire smoke. | The Environment Protection Authority says air quality readings are improving but parts of the hills and metropolitan area remain affected by bushfire smoke. |
| The situation on Sunday was further exacerbated by an early morning temperature inversion layer which kept smoke low to the ground. | The situation on Sunday was further exacerbated by an early morning temperature inversion layer which kept smoke low to the ground. |
| The EPA said anyone with health issues or concerns should stay inside with windows and doors closed. | The EPA said anyone with health issues or concerns should stay inside with windows and doors closed. |
| A watch and act warning remains in place for the blaze, with the Country Fire Service reporting some renewed fire activity within the 127km perimeter. | A watch and act warning remains in place for the blaze, with the Country Fire Service reporting some renewed fire activity within the 127km perimeter. |
| The fire has burnt through more than 25,000 hectares and destroyed at least 15 homes. | The fire has burnt through more than 25,000 hectares and destroyed at least 15 homes. |
| Before it was sparked on Friday, the Bureau of Meteorology also reported that smoke from the NSW bushfires had made its way to Adelaide. | Before it was sparked on Friday, the Bureau of Meteorology also reported that smoke from the NSW bushfires had made its way to Adelaide. |
| Anthony Albanese has just held his press conference in Rozelle. | Anthony Albanese has just held his press conference in Rozelle. |
| Unfortunately it hasn’t been broadcast as yet, and I am in Canberra, so I will bring that to you as soon as I can. | Unfortunately it hasn’t been broadcast as yet, and I am in Canberra, so I will bring that to you as soon as I can. |
| We are still waiting on Anthony Albanese’s press conference. | We are still waiting on Anthony Albanese’s press conference. |
| It should be soon. | It should be soon. |
| The smoke has officially made its way north. | The smoke has officially made its way north. |
| Which brings Scott Morrison back in to the frame: | Which brings Scott Morrison back in to the frame: |
| The commissioner finishes with how proud he is of the fire services: | The commissioner finishes with how proud he is of the fire services: |
| Shane Fitzsimmons on Balmoral: | Shane Fitzsimmons on Balmoral: |