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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 updates | 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 updates |
| The meeting with the insurance heads has broken. | |
| Josh Frydenberg will hold a short press conference on that in the next 20 minutes. | |
| The defence force is now being deployed to help remove livestock carcasses from the fire zones – much as they did following the north Queensland floods early last year. | |
| Farmers who need assistance with assessing or disposing of livestock disposal should contact their relevant state agency. | |
| · Victoria: Emergency Victoria on 1800 226 226 | |
| · NSW: Department of Primary Industries Agricultural and Animal Services Hotline on 1800 814 647 or their local Land Services office. | |
| · South Australia: PIRSA hotline on 1800 255 556 | |
| The areas impacted represent about 9% of Australia’s cattle stock and about 12% of our sheep stock. | |
| There is no number on how many animals have been killed as yet. | |
| You may remember that in the lead-up to the election, Craig Kelly, who had been about to be dumped by his branch as the preselected candidate, but was saved by Scott Morrison’s intervention, was banned from appearing on Q&A. | |
| Later the backbencher, who appeared so regularly on Sky News, was dubbed the MP for Sky, while colleagues joked about looking for his office when the organisation opened its new Parliament House studio, was also noticeably absent from their screens as well. | |
| Looks like he decided he was needed again, even without the PMO’s approval. | |
| Sigh. | |
| Humans are going to human. That means we see the best of us, but also this. | |
| Josh Frydenberg will have an update on the outcome of his meeting with Australia’s insurance industry very soon. | Josh Frydenberg will have an update on the outcome of his meeting with Australia’s insurance industry very soon. |
| David Littleproud has called a press conference for midday. | David Littleproud has called a press conference for midday. |
| Andrew O’Dwyer’s funeral is today. He is the second NSW RFS firefighter to be laid to rest. The 36-year-old was father to 19-month-old Charlotte. | Andrew O’Dwyer’s funeral is today. He is the second NSW RFS firefighter to be laid to rest. The 36-year-old was father to 19-month-old Charlotte. |
| Former prime minister John Howard has been turning up almost everywhere – including the ABC Grandstand cricket commentary box – talking about Scott Morrison and the bushfires. | Former prime minister John Howard has been turning up almost everywhere – including the ABC Grandstand cricket commentary box – talking about Scott Morrison and the bushfires. |
| Morrison said he spoke to Howard earlier this week. | Morrison said he spoke to Howard earlier this week. |
| Howard has defended Morrison’s actions, most recently on Sky News this morning. | Howard has defended Morrison’s actions, most recently on Sky News this morning. |
| On climate change, Howard says there are “a range of opinions”. | On climate change, Howard says there are “a range of opinions”. |
| There may be a range of opinions about climate change, but the only thing that really matters is the facts. And the facts are, it is happening. It is having an impact on the severity of things like droughts and bushfires, just as it was predicted to do. | There may be a range of opinions about climate change, but the only thing that really matters is the facts. And the facts are, it is happening. It is having an impact on the severity of things like droughts and bushfires, just as it was predicted to do. |
| Anthony Albanese was asked about one of Eden-Monaro MP Mike Kelly’s proposals for a war-like mobilisation in response to the climate crisis, while on Studio Ten a little earlier today: | Anthony Albanese was asked about one of Eden-Monaro MP Mike Kelly’s proposals for a war-like mobilisation in response to the climate crisis, while on Studio Ten a little earlier today: |
| He was asked if there should be a national service set up: | He was asked if there should be a national service set up: |
| There is talk about delaying the Australian Open because of the air quality concerns in Melbourne. | There is talk about delaying the Australian Open because of the air quality concerns in Melbourne. |
| Novak Djokovic was asked about it after a win in the ATP Cup in Brisbane overnight. | Novak Djokovic was asked about it after a win in the ATP Cup in Brisbane overnight. |
| The Australian Open is due to start on 20 January. | The Australian Open is due to start on 20 January. |
| Just a reminder that the more favourable weather conditions does not mean this is over. | Just a reminder that the more favourable weather conditions does not mean this is over. |
| The end of the week will see a return to dangerous fire conditions and we have multiple blazes still going. | The end of the week will see a return to dangerous fire conditions and we have multiple blazes still going. |
| And this is still happening on the sidelines. | And this is still happening on the sidelines. |
| Some pointed out yesterday that fire-ravaged Snowy Valley had not been included on a list of local government areas eligible for the Australian government disaster recovery payment. These are payments of $1,000 to people who have been seriously impacted by the fires – they may have been injured or returned to find their homes destroyed. | Some pointed out yesterday that fire-ravaged Snowy Valley had not been included on a list of local government areas eligible for the Australian government disaster recovery payment. These are payments of $1,000 to people who have been seriously impacted by the fires – they may have been injured or returned to find their homes destroyed. |
| Guardian Australia put this to the Home Affairs department yesterday and last night a spokeswoman confirmed Snowy Valley had been added to the list. | Guardian Australia put this to the Home Affairs department yesterday and last night a spokeswoman confirmed Snowy Valley had been added to the list. |
| “Impact assessments have begun in NSW and once direct bushfire damage to homes is confirmed in a local government area, the payment is being authorised as quickly as possible,” the spokeswoman said. “Australian government disaster recovery payment is available in the Snowy Valley local government area.” | “Impact assessments have begun in NSW and once direct bushfire damage to homes is confirmed in a local government area, the payment is being authorised as quickly as possible,” the spokeswoman said. “Australian government disaster recovery payment is available in the Snowy Valley local government area.” |
| AAP have a summary of the Victorian situation: | AAP have a summary of the Victorian situation: |
| The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists has issued a warning to anyone who is pregnant: | The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists has issued a warning to anyone who is pregnant: |
| The fire on Kangaroo Island, which has burned through about a third of the South Australian icon, is still going. SA authorities have just released this advice: | The fire on Kangaroo Island, which has burned through about a third of the South Australian icon, is still going. SA authorities have just released this advice: |
| The Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet has rejected freedom of information requests about Scott Morrison’s Hawaiian holiday. | The Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet has rejected freedom of information requests about Scott Morrison’s Hawaiian holiday. |
| We now have to include WhatsApp messages in requests, because so many within the government use it for communications. And then that’s used as a reason to reject the requests, because it would be too difficult to go through those messages. | We now have to include WhatsApp messages in requests, because so many within the government use it for communications. And then that’s used as a reason to reject the requests, because it would be too difficult to go through those messages. |