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Australia fires live: NSW and Victoria bushfire towns get brief rain reprieve – latest updates Australia fires live: Craig Kelly undermines PM in Piers Morgan interview – latest updates
(32 minutes later)
Rain falls on some NSW, Victorian and South Australian bushfire-affected areas, but worse fire conditions are forecast to return. Follow all today’s latest news and live updatesRain falls on some NSW, Victorian and South Australian bushfire-affected areas, but worse fire conditions are forecast to return. Follow all today’s latest news and live updates
Yup.
Also “weather girl”. Laura Tobin has a degree in physics and meteorology from the University of Reading.
Scott Morrison and Josh Frydenberg will meet with the Insurance Council of Australia today, as well as bank CEOs, to discuss the response to the bushfire crisis.
The Insurance Council estimates the disaster has surpassed $700m in claims.
So far, 8,985 claims have been submitted.
At least 1,830 homes have been destroyed.
Asked if Scott Morrison’s initial response to the crisis was embarrassing for the nation, Craig Kelly says:
“There is no denialist cult,” Craig Kelly says, about views about climate change within the Morrison government.
He says the debate should be about hazard reduction. Which has already been explained about a million times.
“The weather girl had no idea what she was talking about,” Craig Kelly says.
“She says the Australia continent is drying out and that is just not true.”
On what Craig Kelly says his colleagues will think:On what Craig Kelly says his colleagues will think:
“I think they will think that I have been out there, defending our nation,” he says.
Craig Kelly is on ABC radio now, making the same points he made on the BBC and British television.Craig Kelly is on ABC radio now, making the same points he made on the BBC and British television.
He denies he embarrassed the prime minister and says he will continue to defend Scott Morrison.He denies he embarrassed the prime minister and says he will continue to defend Scott Morrison.
Cold Chisel, Birds of Tokyo and Magic Dirt have cancelled their Day on the Green concert at Rutherglen in Victoria, because of the hazardous air quality. Cold Chisel, Birds of Tokyo and Magic Dirt have cancelled their Day on the Green concert at Rutherglen in Victoria because of the hazardous air quality.
From promoter Michael Newton’s statement: From the promoter Michael Newton’s statement:
All tickets will be refunded, but that could take up to a week. All tickets will be refunded but that could take up to a week.
Friday and Saturday’s shows are still planned to go ahead, at this stage. Friday’s and Saturday’s shows are still planned to go ahead, at this stage.
The Coalition backbencher, Craig Kelly, has been trending on Twitter most of the night, after agreeing to this interview with Piers Morgan on UK breakfast television The Coalition backbencher Craig Kelly has been trending on Twitter most of the night after agreeing to this interview with Piers Morgan on UK breakfast television.
Morgan has been quite publicly critical of Scott Morrison’s response to the bushfire crisis, so it only makes sense that Kelly decided to go on his show and speak to him, and reinforce all of his anger. Morgan has been critical of Scott Morrison’s response to the bushfire crisis, so it only makes sense that Kelly decided to go on his show and speak to him, and reinforce all of his anger.
Kelly was saved during a pre-selection battle by Morrison’s intervention. He’s repaid him by consistently going on UK media and undermining the prime minister’s attempts to pretend that his government has always believed in the link between climate change and worsening natural disasters, like the drought and bushfires.Kelly was saved during a pre-selection battle by Morrison’s intervention. He’s repaid him by consistently going on UK media and undermining the prime minister’s attempts to pretend that his government has always believed in the link between climate change and worsening natural disasters, like the drought and bushfires.
Good morning.Good morning.
Firefighters in NSW and Victoria are seizing another day of cooler temperatures and lower winds to try to get ahead of the fires which have blazed across at least 4.9m hectares.Firefighters in NSW and Victoria are seizing another day of cooler temperatures and lower winds to try to get ahead of the fires which have blazed across at least 4.9m hectares.
There are no emergency alert fires as we begin today, but Victoria still has watch and act alerts.There are no emergency alert fires as we begin today, but Victoria still has watch and act alerts.