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| NSW and SA fires live: volunteer firefighters call for support as Australia's bushfires crisis continues - latest | NSW and SA fires live: volunteer firefighters call for support as Australia's bushfires crisis continues - latest |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| The president of the NSW Volunteer Fire Fighters Association says the situation on the ground is ‘out of control’ as he calls for volunteers to receive expenses. Follow latest news and updates | The president of the NSW Volunteer Fire Fighters Association says the situation on the ground is ‘out of control’ as he calls for volunteers to receive expenses. Follow latest news and updates |
| Dr Geoff Goldrick, a scientist, educator and volunteer firefighter, has written a critique of Scott Morrison’s “marketing strategy of a boldfaced lie” on Australia’s emissions reduction efforts. | |
| He writes: | |
| Angus Taylor attends reopening of coalmine next to bushfires | |
| Federal energy minister Angus Taylor will attend the reopening of the Tahmoor coalmine with Sanjeev Gupta today, the Illawara Mercury reports. | |
| Simec Coal Tahmoor, bought by Gupta’s GFC Alliance in 2018, was evacuated on Thursday as the Green Wattle Creek fire approached Bargo. Like much of the area affected by the Green Wattle Creek fire, it’s in Taylor’s electorate of Hume. | Simec Coal Tahmoor, bought by Gupta’s GFC Alliance in 2018, was evacuated on Thursday as the Green Wattle Creek fire approached Bargo. Like much of the area affected by the Green Wattle Creek fire, it’s in Taylor’s electorate of Hume. |
| The Mercury reported that Gupta would donate $250,000 to the local community at the reopening today. | The Mercury reported that Gupta would donate $250,000 to the local community at the reopening today. |
| But environmental groups have criticised Taylor for attending the reopening of a coalmine while his electorate was battling unprecedented bushfires. | |
| Here’s Andrew Bray, national director of the Australian Wind Alliance: | Here’s Andrew Bray, national director of the Australian Wind Alliance: |
| Bray said Taylor had not attended the opening of any of the three windfarms that began operation in his electorate since he became an MP. There are six windfarms in Hume employing 62 people, Bray said, and windfarm construction will create 420 jobs over the next two years. Simec Coal Tahmoor employs 400 people. | |
| Jamie Hanson, the head of campaigns for Greenpeace Australia Pacific, said Taylor was “misreading” the public mood. | Jamie Hanson, the head of campaigns for Greenpeace Australia Pacific, said Taylor was “misreading” the public mood. |
| He continued: | He continued: |
| Unlike the Hazelwood coalmine which caught alight in bushfires in Victoria in 2014, Tahmoor is an underground mine. That doesn’t mean it was not at risk of catching fire, but the risk is not the same. | |
| I hope Dean and his small furry friend are doing well. | I hope Dean and his small furry friend are doing well. |
| The top five Australian Twitter trends are critical of Scott Morrison. | The top five Australian Twitter trends are critical of Scott Morrison. |
| Even Morrison’s former colleagues are joining in. | Even Morrison’s former colleagues are joining in. |
| Scott Morrison has responded to Jacqui, the woman from the RFS operations centre in Mudgee yesterday, who responded to being introduced to the PM yesterday by saying, “He’s not my prime minister.” | Scott Morrison has responded to Jacqui, the woman from the RFS operations centre in Mudgee yesterday, who responded to being introduced to the PM yesterday by saying, “He’s not my prime minister.” |
| Apparently, this is simply an issue of citizenship – Jacqui is British, the prime minister said on Twitter today. Move along folks, nothing to see here. | Apparently, this is simply an issue of citizenship – Jacqui is British, the prime minister said on Twitter today. Move along folks, nothing to see here. |
| Not sure Morrison’s clarification will help. Jacqui and #NotMyPrimeMinister are the top two trending topics on Twitter in Australia this morning. | Not sure Morrison’s clarification will help. Jacqui and #NotMyPrimeMinister are the top two trending topics on Twitter in Australia this morning. |
| Our photo editor Jessica Hromas was near Bilpin in areas affected by the Gospers Mountain megafire on Saturday. | Our photo editor Jessica Hromas was near Bilpin in areas affected by the Gospers Mountain megafire on Saturday. |
| We have updated our map showing the scale of the bushfire crisis in NSW and Queensland. The total area burned in the two states is now 3.65m hectares. | We have updated our map showing the scale of the bushfire crisis in NSW and Queensland. The total area burned in the two states is now 3.65m hectares. |
| Anthony Albanese is speaking to reporters in the Blue Mountains now. He says compensating volunteer firefighters is a “commonsense” issue. | Anthony Albanese is speaking to reporters in the Blue Mountains now. He says compensating volunteer firefighters is a “commonsense” issue. |
| He said: | He said: |
| The Rural Fire Service commissioner, Shane Fitzimmons, has reportedly ruled out compensation for volunteer firefighters. Albanese said he had “no criticism of the extraordinary job” that Fitzimmons does, but that compensating volunteer firefighters was “common sense”. | The Rural Fire Service commissioner, Shane Fitzimmons, has reportedly ruled out compensation for volunteer firefighters. Albanese said he had “no criticism of the extraordinary job” that Fitzimmons does, but that compensating volunteer firefighters was “common sense”. |
| Albanese said he wasn’t proposing a particular model for that compensation. It could be federal compensation like that provided to army reservists, or one-off payments, or compensation for those who have to close small businesses. “I’m trying to give the government some flexibility,” he said. | Albanese said he wasn’t proposing a particular model for that compensation. It could be federal compensation like that provided to army reservists, or one-off payments, or compensation for those who have to close small businesses. “I’m trying to give the government some flexibility,” he said. |
| But he said the bushfire crisis was not “business as usual” and may require an extraordinary response. | But he said the bushfire crisis was not “business as usual” and may require an extraordinary response. |
| While Scott Morrison is in South Australia today, Anthony Albanese is still in the Blue Mountains. He is expected to talk to media shortly. | While Scott Morrison is in South Australia today, Anthony Albanese is still in the Blue Mountains. He is expected to talk to media shortly. |
| The minister in charge of the bushfire crisis in NSW, the emergency services minister, David Elliot, has reportedly told the Australian that a proposal by Labor that volunteer firefighters should be paid for their time would undermine volunteer ethos and potentially undermine firefighting efforts — because the Rural Fire Service could never afford to pay all of its 70,000 volunteer members. | The minister in charge of the bushfire crisis in NSW, the emergency services minister, David Elliot, has reportedly told the Australian that a proposal by Labor that volunteer firefighters should be paid for their time would undermine volunteer ethos and potentially undermine firefighting efforts — because the Rural Fire Service could never afford to pay all of its 70,000 volunteer members. |
| Said Elliot: | Said Elliot: |
| Elliot said there was “no evidence that volunteers join up for the money”, which is correct but as there is not, and has never been, any money on offer I am not sure how far that takes us. | Elliot said there was “no evidence that volunteers join up for the money”, which is correct but as there is not, and has never been, any money on offer I am not sure how far that takes us. |
| This next point probably takes us further: | This next point probably takes us further: |
| Elliot says volunteer firefighters are motivated by protecting their community above all else — which is true. The debate about compensation is, I think, whether it is reasonable to continue to ask volunteers to sacrifice so much — weeks of their time, weeks of their income, potentially their lives — while bushfire conditions worsen each year under global heating. | Elliot says volunteer firefighters are motivated by protecting their community above all else — which is true. The debate about compensation is, I think, whether it is reasonable to continue to ask volunteers to sacrifice so much — weeks of their time, weeks of their income, potentially their lives — while bushfire conditions worsen each year under global heating. |
| At the moment the public discussion about how best to support volunteer firefighters is being conducted largely in the absence of the firefighters themselves, who are busy actively fighting fires. The question of what volunteer firefighters want and need is probably best answered by the volunteer brigade members themselves, don’t you think? | At the moment the public discussion about how best to support volunteer firefighters is being conducted largely in the absence of the firefighters themselves, who are busy actively fighting fires. The question of what volunteer firefighters want and need is probably best answered by the volunteer brigade members themselves, don’t you think? |
| Scott Morrison is in South Australia today and will be visiting communities affected by the catastrophic bushfires there, which burned through 47,000 hectares and destroyed 87 houses. | Scott Morrison is in South Australia today and will be visiting communities affected by the catastrophic bushfires there, which burned through 47,000 hectares and destroyed 87 houses. |
| Our photographer-at-large Mike Bowers was in Balmoral yesterday and captured some of the devastation in the town that was among the worst hit by the Green Wattle Creek fire in the southern highlands. | Our photographer-at-large Mike Bowers was in Balmoral yesterday and captured some of the devastation in the town that was among the worst hit by the Green Wattle Creek fire in the southern highlands. |
| Reporters Michael McGowan and Helen Davidson have been in Balmoral over the past few days. They spoke to survivors including Steve Harrison, a 67-year-old potter who described climbing into a “coffin-sized” makeshift kiln when the fire approached. | Reporters Michael McGowan and Helen Davidson have been in Balmoral over the past few days. They spoke to survivors including Steve Harrison, a 67-year-old potter who described climbing into a “coffin-sized” makeshift kiln when the fire approached. |
| I spoke too soon. The CFS has just issued a watch and act alert for the Cudlee Creek fire in South Australia. | I spoke too soon. The CFS has just issued a watch and act alert for the Cudlee Creek fire in South Australia. |
| Only one fire at watch and act | Only one fire at watch and act |
| There is only one fire at watch and act level in south-eastern Australia this morning. | There is only one fire at watch and act level in south-eastern Australia this morning. |
| That’s the 54,000-hectare Marthavale – Barmouth Spur bushfire in east Gippsland, about 200km east of Melbourne. A watch and act alert remains in place for Tambo Crossing and there is a community meeting scheduled for 10am in the Omeo memorial hall. | That’s the 54,000-hectare Marthavale – Barmouth Spur bushfire in east Gippsland, about 200km east of Melbourne. A watch and act alert remains in place for Tambo Crossing and there is a community meeting scheduled for 10am in the Omeo memorial hall. |
| The Great Alpine Road — the main road in and out of the region — remains closed between Ensay and Bruthen, a 54km stretch across Tambo Crossing and Mount Elizabeth. Most of the alternative routes are unsealed roads or 4WD tracks and they have also been closed. | The Great Alpine Road — the main road in and out of the region — remains closed between Ensay and Bruthen, a 54km stretch across Tambo Crossing and Mount Elizabeth. Most of the alternative routes are unsealed roads or 4WD tracks and they have also been closed. |
| Power outages cut NBN-connected phones and internet services, but as of 7am this morning that power should be restored. | Power outages cut NBN-connected phones and internet services, but as of 7am this morning that power should be restored. |
| I spoke to Luke Hegarty from the Victorian State Control Centre about this fire yesterday. He said the conditions were too dangerous for firefighters to tackle the blaze head on. It’s in very dry, very mountainous, very heavily forested country, and it is spreading even on days like today, where fire conditions are low to moderate. | I spoke to Luke Hegarty from the Victorian State Control Centre about this fire yesterday. He said the conditions were too dangerous for firefighters to tackle the blaze head on. It’s in very dry, very mountainous, very heavily forested country, and it is spreading even on days like today, where fire conditions are low to moderate. |
| He said: | He said: |
| Five other fires are at advice level in Victoria, four are at advice level in South Australia, and three are at advice level in Queensland. | Five other fires are at advice level in Victoria, four are at advice level in South Australia, and three are at advice level in Queensland. |
| New South Wales still has more than 50 fires at advice level. The fires of most concern over the past few days – Gospers Mountain in the Blue Mountains and Green Wattle Creek fire in the southern highlands – will be subject to backburning today. | New South Wales still has more than 50 fires at advice level. The fires of most concern over the past few days – Gospers Mountain in the Blue Mountains and Green Wattle Creek fire in the southern highlands – will be subject to backburning today. |
| More than 4 million hectares of Australia has burned since the start of spring, according to figures collated by Guardian Australia. | More than 4 million hectares of Australia has burned since the start of spring, according to figures collated by Guardian Australia. |
| That figure is likely to increase — not just because we have three months to go in the southern fire season, but because the split between state-run and local government-run firefighting forces in WA means the figure from that state is incomplete.Debate about whether volunteer firefighters should be compensated, and what form any compensation should take, is continuing today. Labor is pushing the debate and it has the support of the volunteer firefighters’ association, but Scott Morrison yesterday ruled out making a “knee-jerk” response. Some employees, like public servants, get paid leave for their volunteer bushfire duties but not everyone is in that position. | That figure is likely to increase — not just because we have three months to go in the southern fire season, but because the split between state-run and local government-run firefighting forces in WA means the figure from that state is incomplete.Debate about whether volunteer firefighters should be compensated, and what form any compensation should take, is continuing today. Labor is pushing the debate and it has the support of the volunteer firefighters’ association, but Scott Morrison yesterday ruled out making a “knee-jerk” response. Some employees, like public servants, get paid leave for their volunteer bushfire duties but not everyone is in that position. |
| Volunteer firefighters often pay out of pocket for better respiratory protection, fuel to drive to and from the fire ground, and other expenses, the NSW Volunteer Fire Fighters Association president, Mick Holton, told Radio National on Tuesday. | Volunteer firefighters often pay out of pocket for better respiratory protection, fuel to drive to and from the fire ground, and other expenses, the NSW Volunteer Fire Fighters Association president, Mick Holton, told Radio National on Tuesday. |
| And as we begin our live coverage of the bushfire crisis, my colleague Josh Taylor reports that the Department of Home Affairs warned minister Peter Dutton in May that Australia faced more frequent and severe heatwaves and bushfires, and that “without effective action more Australians’ livelihoods will be impacted by disasters into the future and the cost of those disasters will continue to grow”. | And as we begin our live coverage of the bushfire crisis, my colleague Josh Taylor reports that the Department of Home Affairs warned minister Peter Dutton in May that Australia faced more frequent and severe heatwaves and bushfires, and that “without effective action more Australians’ livelihoods will be impacted by disasters into the future and the cost of those disasters will continue to grow”. |