Thanks to our neighbours
There is no way we can possibly thank our neighbour, Alison, and others who helped to save our house from burning on December 31, 2019. The garden is devastated ashes but we still have a holiday home to visit.
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C. Dyer and family, Waniassa, ACT
Lack of leadership
Australia needs a leader with foresight not hindsight. Australia needs is a leader who is proactive not reactive. Australia needs a leader ready to acknowledge mistakes not one who refuses to do so or excuses them.
In the interview with David Speers Mr Morrison confirmed that he is no such leader.
In circumstances where expert groups, including within his own government, were warning of a cataclysmic fire season, Mr Morrison seems to have had little perception of the potential impact of such a season on life, property, livestock, business, the environment, wildlife and the many other aspects of our society.
His departure from Australia as the disaster began to unfold appears indicative of this lack of foresight.
Against this background Mr Morrison did not take any action to promote a coordinated response to this foreshadowed potential disaster.
He took no initiative to convene COAG, the Council of Australian Governments, established to consider emerging issues of importance to the the Commonwealth, the States and the Territories. Proactivity on the part of Mr Morrison was conspicuous by its absence.
When Mr Speers suggested to Mr Morrison that he might like to take the opportunity to accept that he could have done more to heed the warnings and prepare for the emergency, Mr Morrison went on to recount the unprecedented nature of the fire, refusing to be drawn on the lack of preparedness. Mr Morrison took the same approach to similar related questioning.
In relation to his holidaying in Hawaii, Mr Morrison excused this on the basis of his family responsibilities.
In relation to his abysmal visit to Cobargo he turned responsibility on to the traumatised community of the town.
Mr Morrison has effectively excused himself from any mistakes or responsibility for the lack of national preparedness for the fires and their devastation.
I do not wish to suggest that Mr Morrison is lacking in empathy. However his empathy does not seem to be with those other than himself.
Mr Morrison is now extolling the virtues of the response of the Commonwealth to the devastation. Any government would have responded to the clear needs delivered by the disaster.
With apologies to William Shakespeare "The politician doth protest too much, methinks".
K. Brazel, Tuross Head
Volunteers booked
I have been advised by a volunteer at the recovery centre in Ulladulla that a number of volunteers and victims were "booked" for overstaying parking times. Surely this has to be one of the stupidest acts to come out of this disaster. A quick response from the Shoalhaven City Council would be appropriate.
J. Willis, Mollymook Beach
All about the surplus
On January 7, 2020, Scott Morrison had this to say, "The surplus is of no focus for me." What matters to me is the human cost and meeting whatever cost we need to meet." Later Treasurer Josh Frydenberg said the indicative cost to the budget would be $500 million this financial year, followed by $1 billion in 2020-21 and $500 million in 2021-22, but he said more funding would be brought forward if needed. The bottom line is Josh Frydenberg is budgeting for a $4.5 billion surplus this financial year.