Prime Minister
TONY PILKINGTON: Our Prime Minister Scott Morrison joins us on the program. Prime Minister, good morning and welcome to Adelaide.
PRIME MINISTER: G’day, Pilko, I wish I was here under different circumstances, but here nonetheless and to check out how things are up there in the Hills and to be there with Premier Marshall and to look at the operation there and to provide our support.
PILKINGTON: Prime Minister, I'm not going to bore you to death and our listening audience with questions that you've been asked a million times since you've got back. A question I wanted to put to you - would you consider, would the government consider the purchase of some more of these Canadian heavy water bombing planes? I'm imagining if we could get, I don’t know, three or four, I know they're expensive, and put them in a place like Edinburgh. They could service us and New South Wales and Victoria. Is that sort of something you would consider?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, we take our advice from the fire chiefs about how we put together the aerial firefighting fleet. There are 144 aircraft that are part of that, that are being deployed all around the country. And they make decisions and make recommendations about whether things should be leased and purchased and all of that. So we're always open to all the advice and recommendations they make. In fact, we just put an extra $11 million into that fleet just recently and that comes to the top of the $15 million that we put in together with the other states and territories. So we're very open to all the recommendations and have moved very quickly, I think, to act on those when they're made. So that's really the answer. I mean, if they think that's the way to handle it then I'm sure that they will recommend that. But they look at these things very carefully and, you know, the costs and how they can best apply the resources to get the most out there and up in the air and used in their firefighting efforts.
PILKINGTON: We're talking to Prime Minister Scott Morrison here in Adelaide on the way up to Lobethal, to the Adelaide Hills. Prime Minister, what about the suggestion that Premier Marshall made, that perhaps there could be a discount available for volunteer firefighters not having to pay a service levy? And would the federal government look at some sort of recompense to the volunteer firefighters?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, the Country Firefighting Association and others have been pretty clear about these sort of things. I mean, oftentimes when you talk to those directly involved here, they typically want and ask, you know, things like additional facilities in their state and things like this. So it really is about how you set the priorities of where you put things. And, look, after these fires, like there is after every fire, there is a full review and in March, when the Premiers meet, we'll be looking at a whole range of recommendations that even now are being prepared and have been prepared since the Ministers were meeting some weeks ago. There is a very big nationally coordinated effort that goes into all of this. It happens 365 days a year, not just when fires are burning. And Emergency Management Australia, headed up by Rob Cameron and the Home Affairs Department, they do this all the time, working very closely with the state and territories who are responsible for the operations and the fire services and the SES’s and all of these which deploy in these circumstances. So we're always open to ways that things can be done better. But I can assure everyone in South Australia, as I can all around the country, that this is the best resourced, best coordinated fire response of anywhere in the world.
PILKINGTON: Prime Minister, you've been in New South Wales. You've met a lot of people on the ground, volunteers and people that have been affected. You must have been impressed by the courage and the resilience and the support from everywhere that these people are getting. It's just typically Australian. I don't want to sound hokey pokey about it, but you've nearly got to be proud of the way some people say, listen, we'll actually go that extra mile and help these people.
PRIME MINISTER: Absolutely, and I'm sure you are also, Pilko. I mean, we see the best of Australia in these responses. Sadly, on occasions too we see some of the worst.
PILKINGTON: Oh yeah.
PRIME MINISTER: But that's not the normal story. That's not the big story. What's the best is what we're seeing. And I was sadly with the families of Geoff and Andrew, Andrew O’Dwyer and Geoff Keaton, who we were lost in Horsley Park Brigade in New South Wales, were lost in that terrible incident where the tree fell on the back of the truck. And I was out there with their wives and partners, Melissa and Jess and their two, they both had 19 month old kids born within about a week or so of each other. And I was there with them but what was amazing was the spirit and that local brigade were family to this family and they were all banding together, all supporting each other, just as they do out on the fire ground. They do it back at base and they do it in their communities. And that's really the heart and soul of Australia.
PILKINGTON: Yeah, it brings out the best in so many people. As you say, occasionally, you see the scumbags who do the looting and things like that. But we've got to accept that there's always just a few who will do that. PM, before we let you go and I know you're busy, it’s 10 to 10 [am]. What are the plans? Tomorrow you'll go back to Sydney and spend it with Jen and the girls?
PRIME MINISTER: I will, that's the plan for tomorrow and looking forward to that. But I do know that around the country there'll be people won't be able to do that tomorrow and we thank them and not just those who will be out fighting fires tomorrow and the volunteers supporting them. But you know, as is every Christmas, our police and emergency services, our firies, our nurses, our paramedics and ambulance officers, those serving meals for homeless people and those less fortunate in our community, in local churches, synagogues and other things. It's a remarkable spirit we have in this country and I would just hope that as we go forward, we can just keep focussed on the things that draw us together. I have noticed sadly in this fire season, there have been a bit of a tendency to cause a bit of division and strife and point scoring and that sort of thing and that's unfortunate this time round and I hope that will abate.
PILKINGTON: It happens all the time.
PRIME MINISTER: And people can do what we always do and that is come together. I'm pleased to be here in South Australia. I mean, the fires are horrific in New South Wales, obviously my home state and my home city, but they're everywhere around the country. They're here in South Australia. They are in Victoria down in Gippsland. They’re up in Queensland. And so there is a national effort going on here and I certainly didn't want those who've been devastated here, over 80 homes lost and sadly, one person passed away. The devastation, to a lot of vineyards and businesses up in the Hills. So I’ll be there with Steven today. I think he's done a wonderful job leading the effort here in South Australia, Steven Marshall, and to stand with him and stand with all South Australians as they combat, you know, the fury of these fires and let's hope we don't see too much more of it. But it's a tough season.
PILKINGTON: Prime Minister, I know your people are giving you the wind up and saying, listen, get rid of that old bloke-
PRIME MINISTER: Not at all mate
PILKINGTON: Just before you go, I know you barrack for the Cronulla Sharks. You're just about a tragic, as a matter of fact.
PRIME MINISTER: Yeah, that is true.
PILKINGTON: The only thing you haven't done is be in the corner when Paul Gallen fights. Tell me, PM, do you follow anybody in the AFL?
PRIME MINISTER: No, I don't.
PILKINGTON: You don’t?
PRIME MINISTER: I love going and I enjoy the game but I wasn't brought up on it.
PILKINGTON: A very diplomatic answer.
PRIME MINISTER: You know, when it comes to sport, what you see for me is where I'm fair dinkum. But I like going. I always have, but I really… I mean, for a while there, I used to take a keen interest in the Western Bulldogs because Rodney Eade, who was a friend of mine when he lived up in Sydney, and that was sort of out of friendship more than anything.
PILKINGTON: And that’s about as close as you got, was it?
PRIME MINISTER: When he moved on, I sort of moved on too at the time and have gone back to my home code.
PILKINGTON: I reckon it's only a matter of time before you pull rank and actually get a game, even if it’s for the reserves. I can see you running out for the Sharkies.
PRIME MINISTER: I’ll run the water.
PILKINGTON: Prime Minister, welcome to Adelaide, Prime Minister. Enjoy your Christmas with Jen and the girls up there in Sydney. Thanks for having made the trip down and thanks for having talked to us.
PRIME MINISTER: Thanks, Pilko, and to all your listeners and to Leon’s listeners over the course of the year, as always, thank you for having me in your in your living rooms or your cars or wherever you've been when I've been able to have these chats and I wish you all a very Merry Christmas.
PILKINGTON: Good on you, PM, enjoy the time. Prime Minister Scott Morrison on the way to the Adelaide Hills.