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Australia fires: NSW bushfires cause tens of thousands to flee as Victoria declares state of disaster – live Australia fires: NSW bushfires cause tens of thousands to flee as Victoria declares state of disaster – live
(32 minutes later)
Victorian premier Daniel Andrews declares state of disaster for East Gippsland, urging people to flee bushfire zones, while Scott Morrison is abused by fire victims in Cobargo. Follow today’s live news and latest updatesVictorian premier Daniel Andrews declares state of disaster for East Gippsland, urging people to flee bushfire zones, while Scott Morrison is abused by fire victims in Cobargo. Follow today’s live news and latest updates
NSW police have said a man has died at Belowra. He was unaccounted for and presumed dead, but they have now confirmed the tragic news.
The police statement reads:
More from Morrison on the anger from people he’s visited. Mitchell noted in the interview they have not only heckled him, but others have refused to shake his hand.
“I know people are angry and they will often fixate whether it’s a prime minister or someone else,” Morrison says.
“I understand that, I understand the emotion, I understand the hurt, the anger, the frustration. What we will do is just continue to use every resource and person we have to assist the situation.”
Mitchell asks Morrison about Andrew Constance’s comments saying the PM got the welcome “he probably deserved” when he was heckled and abused at Cobargo.
“I haven’t seen those comments,” Morrison replies.
3AW’s Neil Mitchell turns to the angry reaction Morrison has received at fire grounds. Why are they angry, at you, Mitchell asks.
“People are angry and people are upset,” Morrison says. “Whether they’re angry with me or or they’re angry about their situation, all I know is that they’re hurting, and it’s my job to try and offer some comfort and support.
“That’s my job, I don’t take these things personally, why would I?”
More on the evacuation in Mallacoota. Gippsland Nationals MP Darren Chester has told the ABC that 25 people have been evacuated by Spartan aircraft.
Some have been questioning the involvement of the ADF this fire season. Or more specifically wondering why they haven’t been more prominently involved.
As the Defence Department has also been stressing, Morrison tells Mitchell “they are not new to the scene”. Their involvement has been “prolonged and sustained”, he says.
And he notes that Daniel Andrews has welcomed the cooperation between the state and federal authorities, which includes the military.
The prime minister Scott Morrison has just been on 3AW with Neil Mitchell. He will be touring East Gippsland today.The prime minister Scott Morrison has just been on 3AW with Neil Mitchell. He will be touring East Gippsland today.
Asked if the current situation is the “new normal”, Morrison says “it’s a very important question ... but we have to understand that it’s on the back of a very severe drought”.Asked if the current situation is the “new normal”, Morrison says “it’s a very important question ... but we have to understand that it’s on the back of a very severe drought”.
He also notes that “fires are different because of the prolonged nature of the season across the country”.He also notes that “fires are different because of the prolonged nature of the season across the country”.
The Victorian premier, Daniel Andrews, is fronting the media and says that the number of people who are now unaccounted for has increased to 28.The Victorian premier, Daniel Andrews, is fronting the media and says that the number of people who are now unaccounted for has increased to 28.
The figure was 17 yesterday.The figure was 17 yesterday.
“We have grave fears for the safety and well beingof those 28 people who cannot be located,” he says.“We have grave fears for the safety and well beingof those 28 people who cannot be located,” he says.
“Having said that, though, these numbers will move around. A number of people who were part of the original 17 were located yesterday.”“Having said that, though, these numbers will move around. A number of people who were part of the original 17 were located yesterday.”
Stay tuned.Stay tuned.
The evacuations have begun at the isolated Victorian coastal town of Mallacoota. Authorities say 800 people will be relocated using the Navy vessel HMAS Choules. Others will be airlifted out of the town.The evacuations have begun at the isolated Victorian coastal town of Mallacoota. Authorities say 800 people will be relocated using the Navy vessel HMAS Choules. Others will be airlifted out of the town.
The emergency services minister is reportedly still not back in the job. He’s been on holidays in Europe.The emergency services minister is reportedly still not back in the job. He’s been on holidays in Europe.
His boss, the premier Gladys Berejiklian, declared a state of emergency in NSW yesterday.His boss, the premier Gladys Berejiklian, declared a state of emergency in NSW yesterday.
There were a few other awkward moments for Scott Morrison last night.
NSW deputy police commissioner Gary Worboys acknowledges it’s been a long night for people trying to get out of the south coast.
And he says there will be plenty of congestion on the roads today. Already, tens of thousands of cars have left the area, Worboys says.
This is probably quite clear given the mass evacuations, but a fairly chilling quote from Rodgers: “Our pure focus for tomorrow is about the preservation of life.”
Rodgers says crews are concerned about Batlow in southern NSW. “There is a 50km plus stretch of fire likely to come back across the border tomorrow. That combined with fires already in that part of the state will have a fire front stretching 60-70km long. We can’t stop those fires, we can’t stop those fires we already have.”
NSW authorities are providing media briefing right now. RFS deputy commissioner Rob Rodgers says there are currently 142 fires burning through the state.
He notes a fire south of Batemans Bay is very active and they are concerned that as conditions deteriorate tomorrow, the fire may flare up again.
“But even those areas that have already been impacted by fire, there’s still a lot of pockets among the bush that we are concerned about and conditions tomorrow, the fire may flare up,” he says.
“We’ll put out maps shortly that will pinpoint the ember buffer. Do not be in those areas. Go to a major centre away from those potential impact areas. It might be a large town. Go to the beach, an area that has already been burnt, just don’t be there.”
The NSW Liberal transport minister, Andrew Constance, has told Channel Seven that prime minister Scott Morrison got the welcome “he probably deserved” when he was heckled and abused by locals at Cobargo last night.
Constance represents Bega and lived through the terror of the fires on New Year’s Eve. Asked about the reaction to the prime minister. Constance said: “Well, I didn’t even know he was coming and I haven’t had a call from him.
Asked what he’d like to the see the PM do, Constance said pointedly that he had “seen strong leadership out of Gladys [Berejiklian] and Shane [Fitzsimmons].”
He said he’s aware of a firefighter who rang Centrelink yesterday and “it was a terrible experience for him”.
As I mentioned, Scott Morrison copped an earful at Cobargo last night. The town was devastated by fires on Tuesday.
Channel Nine captured this footage but the news has travelled far and wide. It has also been prominently covered on CNN and the BBC.
Andrews is asked about the footage of Scott Morrison receiving a frosty reception in Cobargo last night. You might have already seen it, but I’ll post it here shortly because if you haven’t, you definitely should.
The premier says he understands that emotions are running high right now. But he adds: “I can only say thank you to the prime minister for the partnership we have. I have just spoken with him a few moments ago. He is in Victoria today.
“The partnership between our emergency services, led by Victoria police and the ADF, is unprecedented and I am grateful for the partnership and open dialogue and constant communication I have had with the prime minister. That is keeping Victorians safe.”
Andrews says he hopes it sends a “powerful and formal message to people ‘Don’t visit these communities and if you can, get out, you have to get out.’”
“All we can do is appeal to peoples’ common sense and the sense that there is a shared responsibility here,” he says.
“None of us should put other people in harm’s way. We cannot guarantee your safety if you stay and you may well cause other people to go into dangerous circumstances to try and provide assistance to you.
“Finally, there is a very large matter of getting trapped and being isolated. We don’t want to see any more people cut off in fire-affected communities.”
The Victorian premier, Daniel Andrews, is speaking on the ABC now.
Overnight, a second person was confirmed dead in East Gippsland. The state government has also declared a state of disaster, which allows authorities to forcibly evacuate people.
Andrews says it is the first time the state has invoked these powers. (They were established after Black Saturday.)
Good morning. I’m Luke Henriques-Gomes. Thanks for joining our rolling coverage of the bushfires crisis.
You’re joining us as a mass scale evacuation takes place across the east coast of Australia ahead of deteriorating conditions today and tomorrow.
We’ll be with you throughout the today with the latest news.