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Australia fires live: NSW and Victoria bushfires heap pressure on Scott Morrison – latest updates Australia fires live: NSW and Victoria bushfires heap pressure on Scott Morrison – latest updates
(32 minutes later)
The PM’s handling of the Australian bushfire crisis comes under further scrutiny as NSW and Victorian towns gain brief reprieve from fires. Follow the latest news and live updatesThe PM’s handling of the Australian bushfire crisis comes under further scrutiny as NSW and Victorian towns gain brief reprieve from fires. Follow the latest news and live updates
How long it takes the more than seven million hectares of land which has burned so far, to recover will depend on what happens next with the drought. Daniel Andrews on what can be done to help, once this is over (which won’t be for a while)
We will hear from Scott Morrison at 2pm.
Daniel Andrews again stresses that Victoria can not take any goods or food for donations - and in fact, are now causing issues.
Lisa Neville:
The Victorian police and emergency services minister, Lisa Neville, is also providing an update on the evacuations – and when people can get back to their communities to see what is left:
The disaster declaration remains in place until Thursday. It is only the evacuation order that has been lifted.
Victorian emergency commissioner Andrew Crisp gives more of an update:
There are still four people missing in Victoria.
Two hundred homes have been destroyed (a number expected to rise by at least 100).
The agency will be permanent, Daniel Andrews says. Because the future means it will have to be.
Daniel Andrews has announced a new agency, dedicated to the bushfire recovery, with a $50m initial allocation.
It will be headed by former Victorian police commissioner, Ken Lay.
The Mallacoota evacuation has been delayed by the smoke haze, Victorian premier Daniel Andrews says.
There were 300 people who were due to be airlifted today, which has been pushed back.
Andrews also says a fire truck overturned yesterday, but there were no injuries.
Hazard reduction burning is still dominating the “what happened” and “what can we do in the future” conversations.
This is despite countless experts and fire and emergency commissioners saying they did what they could, but the window to carry it out has been rapidly shrinking.
The Victorian premier was asked about it this morning on Melbourne radio 3AW, AAP reports:
How long it takes the more than 7m hectares of land which has burned so far, to recover will depend on what happens next with the drought.
CSIRO principal research scientist Andrew Sullivan spoke to AAP:CSIRO principal research scientist Andrew Sullivan spoke to AAP:
“Within 12 months you will find most areas covered in a green sheen, in new spouts and coverage.“Within 12 months you will find most areas covered in a green sheen, in new spouts and coverage.
“If you continue to go into drought, the response of the trees is going to be affected. If you get some good rain … the response from the native vegetation is that much better.”“If you continue to go into drought, the response of the trees is going to be affected. If you get some good rain … the response from the native vegetation is that much better.”
Malcolm Turnbull has been retweeting stories featuring Julie Bishop’s call for global climate change leadership, where she also says Australia has no real climate policy itself.Malcolm Turnbull has been retweeting stories featuring Julie Bishop’s call for global climate change leadership, where she also says Australia has no real climate policy itself.
And yes, both were in government and could have done something about it. I know.And yes, both were in government and could have done something about it. I know.
An agricultural market analyst is speaking to the ABC.An agricultural market analyst is speaking to the ABC.
He estimates about 9% of the national cattle market, or about 3 million head of cattle, were situated in the firezone.He estimates about 9% of the national cattle market, or about 3 million head of cattle, were situated in the firezone.
The sheep flock is also extensive - about 1% or more than 8 million.The sheep flock is also extensive - about 1% or more than 8 million.
There is no estimation on what has been lost so far. But it is not just the immediate losses – it’s keeping those who survived, alive, with no immediate access to fodder.There is no estimation on what has been lost so far. But it is not just the immediate losses – it’s keeping those who survived, alive, with no immediate access to fodder.
Richard Di Natale has compared Scott Morrison to Neville Chamberlain in a statement (Chamberlain is best known for his policy of “appeasement” with Hitler’s government).
“Warships steaming in to evacuate people from our own shores is not normal. Hundreds of millions of animals killed in infernos is not normal. These fires should be a wake-up call to every single member of the political establishment in Australia: we need urgent action to address the breakdown of our climate,” he said.
“Some political leaders rise to a crisis, while others shrink away and show themselves to be unfit for the job. The prime minister is behaving like our generation’s Neville Chamberlain instead of showing he understands the scale of the threat before us.”
“Scott Morrison needs to get his head out of the sand, accept the central role of the climate crisis in these fires and pledge that not one new coal mine will be built in this country – and that includes Adani.”
Russell Crowe wasn’t at the Golden Globes – he is at home, in Australia, preparing for bushfires.
Instead, he sent a prepared statement:
“Make no mistake, the tragedy in Australia is climate change-based” he said.
“We need to act based on science, move our global workforce to renewable energy and respect our planet for the unique and amazing place it is. That way, we all have a future”
Ahead of the prime minister’s press conference at 1 (ish) let’s recap what we know:
Two people are unaccounted for in NSW.
No emergency level fires are burning, but several watch and act alerts remain in place for Victoria.
The wet season has officially begun.
Australian stars at the Golden Globes are using the opportunity to keep the world’s focus on the bushfires.
Looks like that cabinet meeting is getting close to breaking up, if it hasn’t already.
The press conference should be in about an hour.
Victoria’s State Control Centre says 1.25m hectares of land has been burned across the state, in its latest update.
That is made up of 900,000 hectares burnt in Gippsland, 200,000 in the Hume region, and an additional 150,000 in other parts of the state.
Mogo was shattered by the fires which swept through the south coast. But it hasn’t lost its sense of humour.
Mike Kelly, the Labor MP for Eden Monaro, spent the past few weeks helping with the evacuation of parts of his electorate.
He has put together quite a comprehensive concept paper on his Facebook page. I’d recommend reading it all: