Prime Minister
SANDY ALOISI: …to fight the bushfires that are gripping large parts of the country, with 3000 Australian Defence Force Reservists to be deployed and the federal government to invest a further $20 million to lease four additional firefighting aircraft. Scott Morrison has also announced the Navy's largest amphibious ship, HMAS Adelaide, will sail from Sydney this afternoon to sit off the coast should it be required to help with evacuations. And the Prime Minister joins us live now. Mr Morrison, good afternoon to you, thank you for your time.
PRIME MINISTER: Good afternoon.
ALOISI: A welcome announcement of these extra resources, but why has it taken so long to do that?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, yesterday was the first time that a disaster declaration had been made in Victoria. And over the last couple of weeks, we've been escalating the role of the Defence Force. We've been operating on what has always been the arrangements, which is to respond to requests and have been doing that. But we have now moved to a new phase, which is to move forward and integrate into areas. So previously we've asked for requests, now we are just moving in and then integrating with the local command and what's taking place on the ground.
ALOISI: But did you need a disaster announcement to make you aware of just how serious the bushfire crisis was in Victoria and, of course, in NSW?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, of course not. We know that has been a serious issue that's why we've had Defence Force people deployed since September of this year. And that's why we've been supporting the emergency services and firefighting efforts by the states and territories now for many months, and we’ve had 2,000 people involved in that.
ALOISI: I’m sorry to interrupt you, you've only announced the upscale of that this afternoon. Why has it taken so long?
PRIME MINISTER: Well no the upscale has been occurring now for several weeks. I mean, it was several weeks ago that I ensured that we had Defence Force personnel who were deployed directly into the incident response centres in towns and areas all across New South Wales as well as Victoria. But it has been the states who have been, we have been respecting and responding to their requests and as me, myself being out and about and seeing things on the ground, particularly over the last week, it became clear that the scale and the extent was getting beyond the capacity of those state agencies and there were places that needed additional assistance. And so in the absence of any request, we will now just move forward and position and integrate with what's happening on the ground.
ALOISI: But Prime Minister, were you not warned of the scale and the extent of this bushfire season as far back as last March when former bushfire chiefs actually said to you, something has to be done about the upcoming fire season, which could turn into a crisis? And indeed, it has.
PRIME MINISTER: That was the same advice that we received from the existing fire commissioners, and then we responded to the actions that needed to be put in place as they recommended. And so I don't accept that. I just [inaudible] simply accept that at all. We received the same advice from the existing fire chiefs and responded to their recommendations with additional resources and the planning work that was put in place. I think the response that has been led by the state commissioners in each of their jurisdictions has been outstanding and phenomenal. We’ve got 147 aerial fire- I mean, water bombers out there. And now on top of that, they asked us at eight o'clock last night, 8:00pm, for an additional asset, the first request we've had on that and I've decided to provide 4 with up to $20 million dollars. And they're two very heavy and large ones and two other large water bombers that will be made available to the states and the Commonwealth will be meeting all of that expense.
ALOISI: Prime Minister, I spoke to Susan Templeman earlier this afternoon. She is the federal member for Macquarie. She has a home at Winmalee in the Blue Mountains and is playing that awful waiting game that so many people in those bushfire areas are playing. She says you visited the area in December, in early December. You were told then by people, residents, that the bushfire season that was coming was going to be a very tragic one unless something was done. She asked this afternoon why something wasn't done after those conversations.
PRIME MINISTER: Things were happening even then-
ALOISI: -they weren't evident, obviously.
PRIME MINISTER: Well I'm very sorry but I mean, she may not be aware of the amazing work the Defence Force were doing, dropping firefighters into incredibly dangerous areas, evacuating people, engaging in search and rescue. The staging point for the water bombers themselves being run out of Richmond, ensuring that we had ample fire retardant and supplies of that going into New South Wales at the time. I can't help it if Susan Templeman isn't aware of all the things that the ADF were doing at the time. I think it's very important that at times like this, it's not a time for point scoring. It's just a time of getting things done. And that's what our ADF has been doing. Getting things done with whether it is there - I personally saw those fire grounds. I was over on the other side, particularly over in Mudgee and seeing what was occurring there and the fires were on the other side of the range. And many of the things I've announced today is a result of what I observed there with the connecting up the needs on the local level with what the ADF could deploy and do.
ALOISI: I think Susan Templeman really epitomised what many people on the fire grounds are feeling this afternoon, and that is that they really don't feel like there's any there's been any leadership in this bushfire crisis. You're aware of the criticism yourself. What do you say to that?
PRIME MINISTER: The response I’m providing? To ensure-
ALOISI: - No, you as a leader, Prime Minister.
PRIME MINISTER: The response, that is what is required to deliver the response that I've outlined today, to have listened carefully as I have, to see that the fact that our our assets and our resources and the people that we have available are able to move forward, not having to wait for requests, but they're able to move in there quickly and take action is what we're doing. But that has been occurring in response to the many requests that have already been made. But the fires have gone to another level. And they're not just in New South Wales, they're in Victoria, they're in South Australia. We've had two fatalities there today which have been confirmed - 23 people have lost their lives. This is not a time for arguments. It's time for action. And that's what we're doing
ALOISI: Prime Minister, why then do you think you've been heckled when you visited various fire grounds and people have really asked you not to come back unless you can provide further resources?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, there was a bit a mixture of responses, and it would be very unfair to characterise it as that being the overwhelming response, that that has not been the overwhelming response in the places I've been. There's been a mixture of responses. I was the first senior person to go into Cobargo after that terrible fire ripped through and I expected to hear anger and upset and people to be very raw and as I've listened to people's fears and concerns, that's how I've responded and in what I've put in place today -
ALOISI: And I think they were angry and upset at you, Mr Morrison.
PRIME MINISTER: Were you there?
ALOISI: Well no, I wasn't. I saw the vision.
PRIME MINISTER: Well, I was there and I met with many people on that day. And many people were pleased to have Jenny and I there. And many people were pleased that their isolation had been recognised and that so soon after the event, I was able to get there. I listened very carefully. They said they wanted more resources for the Rural Fire Service, that’s what they said. I spoke to others who had said to me that what was occurring in terms of getting access to local roads and what was needed to clear those, and we have emergency services people doing that work but it was clear to me that they would need more support, and that's why I've made the announcements I have today. So I hear all of that. I hear those who are angry and frustrated and outraged and I hear those who are appreciative and encouraging. I mean, there is a mixture of responses that happen when you go into these places. I've visited many, many, many of these communities going back as far as September when it started up in Canungra. And there's always a mixture of responses and sometimes only one aspect of those responses are what's given amplification in the media.
ALOISI: So finally, Prime Minister, do you feel you can look Australians in the eye this afternoon and say, I have done my best for you as your Prime Minister? As far as this bushfire crisis goes?
PRIME MINISTER: Of course I do. I say that every single day to the Australian people on every issue and every responsibility I have.
ALOISI: All right Prime Minister, thank you for your time this afternoon.
PRIME MINISTER: Thank you.