Local residents and the firefighters lashing out after Australia’s prime minister and refuses to give him the hand during his visit in the country’s ruined cities.
On a visit in the town of Cobargo on Australia’s south-east coast, where three persons have been found killed by the fires, became prime minister Scott Morrison chased into his car by angry locals.
In a video on Twitter from the australian media the Nine Network one can see how Morrison forcing one of the locals to give him the hand, while he asks how she has it.
The local woman replies that she only gives him the hand, if he gives to the volunteer firefighters more funding, writes The Guardian.
More local then begins to shout at Morrison, before he flees into his car.
The liberal colleague Andrew Constance, who is transport minister in the state of New South Wales (NSW), where the fires raging, lashing out at Morrison after the visit.
– He got the welcome he deserves, says Andrew Constance to australian 7 News.
– the Country wants you to open the cheque, he says.
Morrison is an advocate of the huge coal industry in Australia and has long denied the link between the fires and climate change.
He has previously stated that the government will not discuss climate policy, while the fires are on.
In a second video clip from the australian media ABC News refuses a firefighter also to give Morrison the hand.
– I really don’t want to give you a hand, ” he says.
Then, take Morrison on the awkward show fat in brandmandens other hand.
A subsequent video clips show Morrison ask a brandkontrollør, whether he will say sorry to the fireman, who “probably just very tired”.
This corresponds the inspector, that the fireman just lost his house.
Morrison himself says that he does not take the locals ‘ anger personally.
Citizens are angry and bored by it. Irrespective of the fact whether they are angry at me or the whole situation, I know that it is my job to support them, he says to the radio station 3AW according to the Sydney Morning Herald.
– Why should I take it personally? It is my job, and our job is to help and support the states with their requests, he says.
Scott Morrison states that he will probably cancel a planned state visit to India this month. Morrison received harsh criticism for taking on vacation to Hawaii in december, while the fires stood on.
The australian military is the night of Friday Danish time in the process of evacuating the many residents who are stranded on the south east coast and can’t get out because of the surrounding fires.
The former fire chief in NSW, Greg Mullins, compares Morrison’s response to the fires with the president of the UNITED states Donald Trumps response to violence.
– I am angry over the prime minister answers. It recalls president Donald Trump after the violence, who say that they have nothing to do with weapons.
– We need to talk about climate change, says Greg Mullins
The former fire chief adds that he returned in april and may warned the prime minister about the coming fires, and recommended him to put the military in.
– the Answer was that it was an insane idea, ” says Greg Mullins, who adds that the prime minister has finally listened and put the military in to help.
In an editorial in the Sydney Morning Herald criticising the newspaper Morrison for acting too late on the national crisis.
– Scott Morrison has missed the chance to take the initiative. Of course, it is the primary responsibility of the delstatslederne and their katastrofeberedskaber, but it has become a national crisis, writes the newspaper.
This season’s devastating fires have in recent months created huge devastation in Australia.
recent weeks have fires especially affected the states of New South Wales and Victoria hard.
Saturday is expected the weather conditions to deteriorate further with the high temperatures and strong winds. The authorities estimate that it will cause the so far the worst day this season.
Here you can get an overview of what we know about the situation and the massive devastation.
* Nine people are confirmed dead since christmas. This season shall be assessed a total of 17 to be killed in connection with the fires.
* 28 persons reported missing in Victoria, why the death toll is feared to rise.
* There are barely 150 active fires in New South Wales and around 50 in Victoria.
* Who was Thursday declared a state of emergency in the states of New South Wales and Victoria, which applies to seven days.
* About 36,000 square kilometers has been consumed by the fires in New South Wales, while the 7800 square kilometers have been destroyed in Victoria. Together, this corresponds to more than Denmark’s land.
* 1365 homes have been destroyed by the flames alone in New South Wales. In addition, thousands of augmentations destroyed.
* Approximately 480 million animals estimated to have been killed by the fires in the whole of Australia, since brandsæsonen began in september. Including about 8000 koalas.
* the Insurance companies have since november received reviews about 4300 damage in connection with the fires for a total value of 297 million australian dollars. It is equivalent to 1.4 billion Danish kroner. The number of claims is expected to rise.
* Several large areas of several hundred kilometers along the southeastern coast of the two states is declared evakueringszoner. Tens of thousands of people have been asked to leave these areas before Saturday.
* the Military has commenced an evacuation of the 3-4000 citizens and tourists in the town of Mallacoota in Victoria, which since new year have been isolated by the surrounding fires.
Sources: The Guardian, Reuters, the Sydney Morning Herald, the Independent.
