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Australia fires live: NSW and Victoria bushfires insurance bill tops $700m – latest updates Australia fires live: NSW and Victoria bushfires insurance bill tops $700m – 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
Rod Simms says the ACCC is dealing with “numerous” reports of fundraising scams in relation to bushfire appeals. The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) wants people to contact their doctor if they start to feel unwell because of the air pollution - not an ambulance (unless it is life threatening)
“Some low life characters will take advantage of the fact that many people want to donate,” he told the ABC. From its statement
RACGP President Dr Harry Nespolon said people should turn to their GP in the first instance for non-life threateninghealth concerns.
“If it’s not life threatening, call your local GP – they are best placed to assess your health concerns, review any currenttreatment and optimise care in the current conditions.
“We know paramedics have seen a spike in calls from people suffering from respiratory conditions related to bushfiresmoke.
Emergency lines should be used when there are genuine emergencies, it’s important that they are not tied up.”Ambulance Victoria reportedly said there was a 51 per cent increase in people calling for help for breathing problems onMonday, when the air quality in Melbourne deteriorated to “very poor”.
NSW police are also getting very serious about looters:
The PMO tells us that Donald Trump called Scott Morrison a little earlier “to offer his support to Australia and all the bushfire-affected communities”.
“The prime minister thanked him and also thanked him for the support the US has already provided, specifically the US firefighters that have come out here.
“The prime minister also thanked the president for the support of the American people who have been sending their well-wishes to Australians at this time.”
The prime minister of Fiji, Frank Bainimarama, has also called Morrison today to offer Fiji’s support and condolences.
The leaders of the UK, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu were in touch yesterday, and there have also been offers of support from Singapore and New Zealand.
In Victoria:
Almost 450 buildings have been gutted in bushfires raging across eastern Victoria with cooler weather offering some reprieve and authorities refusing to rest on their laurels.
Fourteen active fires are burning across the state on Tuesday after several joined up with more than 1.2m hectares in Victoria razed.
All warnings are at a watch-and-act level or lower, with most of the active fires in East Gippsland and the state’s northeast.
(Via AAP)
Rod Sims says the ACCC is dealing with “numerous” reports of fundraising scams in relation to bushfire appeals.
“Some low life characters will take advantage of the fact that many people want to donate”, he told the ABC.
“They want to donate quickly, and many are doing it for the first time. We have come across a range of different scams.”“They want to donate quickly, and many are doing it for the first time. We have come across a range of different scams.”
Simms says the most common way of scamming people is the old cold call and text seeking donations, with social media campaigns also being roped in. Sims says the most common way of scamming people is the old cold call and text seeking donations, with social media campaigns also being roped in.
“Thirdly, and perhaps the most egregious, people impersonating relatives of people who have died, perhaps on a Facebook page, saying join me and fund me, when it is fake.”“Thirdly, and perhaps the most egregious, people impersonating relatives of people who have died, perhaps on a Facebook page, saying join me and fund me, when it is fake.”
Simms says the GoFund Me fundraisers “have a range of tools” to try and ensure fundraisers hosted on its site are legit. He suggest lodging any questionable donation requests to the SCAMwatch website Sims says the GoFund Me fundraisers “have a range of tools” to try and ensure fundraisers hosted on its site are legit. He suggest lodging any questionable donation requests to the SCAMwatch website.
But prosecutions can be tricky - under Australian law, you have to have misled people to be taken to the federal court. But prosecutions can be tricky – under Australian law, you have to have misled people to be taken to the federal court. Sims says:
EVENTS CANCELLED DUE TO VICTORIA’S DEADLY BUSHFIRES:EVENTS CANCELLED DUE TO VICTORIA’S DEADLY BUSHFIRES:
* A DAY ON THE GREEN: The concert, featuring Cold Chisel, Birds of Tokyo and Magic Dirt, was set to take place at Rutherglen on Tuesday but has been cancelled due to smoke from the bushfires.* A DAY ON THE GREEN: The concert, featuring Cold Chisel, Birds of Tokyo and Magic Dirt, was set to take place at Rutherglen on Tuesday but has been cancelled due to smoke from the bushfires.
* KARKAROOK PARKRUN: The annual run at Heatherton scheduled for January 4 has been cancelled due to poor air quality.* KARKAROOK PARKRUN: The annual run at Heatherton scheduled for January 4 has been cancelled due to poor air quality.
* COUTA BOAT CLASSIC RACE: Accounting firm KPMG cancelled the annual Sorrento race, which was to be held on January 3, out of respect for those facing bushfires across the country.* COUTA BOAT CLASSIC RACE: Accounting firm KPMG cancelled the annual Sorrento race, which was to be held on January 3, out of respect for those facing bushfires across the country.
* FIREWORKS: RACV’s Healesville Country Club cancelled its New Year’s Eve fireworks display out of respect for communities battling fires. Fireworks displays were also cancelled at other events.* FIREWORKS: RACV’s Healesville Country Club cancelled its New Year’s Eve fireworks display out of respect for communities battling fires. Fireworks displays were also cancelled at other events.
* FALLS FESTIVAL: The music festival, on Victoria’s Great Ocean Road in Lorne, was cut short due to extreme weather.* FALLS FESTIVAL: The music festival, on Victoria’s Great Ocean Road in Lorne, was cut short due to extreme weather.
* RAINBOW SERPENT: The three-day festival is set to go ahead with some changes in late January after its Lexton site was affected by bushfires in December.* RAINBOW SERPENT: The three-day festival is set to go ahead with some changes in late January after its Lexton site was affected by bushfires in December.
Via AAP (Via AAP)
Murals are still popping up around Melbourne.Murals are still popping up around Melbourne.
Craig Kelly has deleted his “weather girl” facebook post.Craig Kelly has deleted his “weather girl” facebook post.
He is now sharing a 2013 story, which News Corp columnist Miranda Devine has also been putting on social media, where a retired Monash University researcher disputed the link between climate change and worsening bushfires, with the comment “listen to the experts”.He is now sharing a 2013 story, which News Corp columnist Miranda Devine has also been putting on social media, where a retired Monash University researcher disputed the link between climate change and worsening bushfires, with the comment “listen to the experts”.
The experts have said it is linked.The experts have said it is linked.
On the impacts to the water supply in fire-ravaged areas, Andrew Colvin says fixing it is a priority:On the impacts to the water supply in fire-ravaged areas, Andrew Colvin says fixing it is a priority:
Five generators have been sent to Victoria to help stabilise power supply there.Five generators have been sent to Victoria to help stabilise power supply there.
In the NSW fire zone, there are still thousands of people without power – David Littleproud says part of the difficulty there, is that authorities still can’t get in.In the NSW fire zone, there are still thousands of people without power – David Littleproud says part of the difficulty there, is that authorities still can’t get in.
The BBC have put together a brief history of the Coalition’s government position on climate change.The BBC have put together a brief history of the Coalition’s government position on climate change.
Andrew Colvin on where the agency needs to start, given the magnitude of the disaster:Andrew Colvin on where the agency needs to start, given the magnitude of the disaster:
David Littleproud says the recovery mission has begun. He is with Andrew Colvin, the former AFP commissioner, who will head up the disaster recovery agency.David Littleproud says the recovery mission has begun. He is with Andrew Colvin, the former AFP commissioner, who will head up the disaster recovery agency.
Littleproud:Littleproud: