Australia leader seeks greater federal powers in emergencies - media

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Australia leader seeks greater federal powers in emergencies - media

 

FILE PHOTO: Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison addresses the 74th session of the United Nations General Assembly at U.N. headquarters in New York City, New York, U.S., September 25, 2019. REUTERS/Carlo Allegri

 

SYDNEY (Reuters) - Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison wants greater federal powers during natural disasters, local media reported on Wednesday, as authorities warned that bushfires ravaging the country for months were now sweeping through a national park outside the capital.

 

In prepared remarks, reported by local newspapers ahead of a speech later in the day, Morrison responded to criticism he was too slow to act when the seriousness of the country's worst bushfire season in a generation became apparent late last year.

 

Attacked by political opponents and media commentators for holidaying in Hawaii while the fires raged, Morrison initially said the country's eight state and territory governments had the main oversight during natural disasters.

 

He later mobilised about 3,000 Australian Defence Force (ADF) reservists to help regional communities affected by the fires.

 

"There is now a clear community expectation that the commonwealth should have the ability to respond in times of national emergencies and disasters, particularly through deployment of our defence forces in circumstances where the life and property of Australians have been assessed to be under threat," the Australian newspaper quoted Morrison as saying, in the prepared text of a speech to be delivered in the capital Canberra on Wednesday.

 

"We must continue to learn from this fire season so we are better prepared for the next one, whether that be the deployment of the ADF, local hazard ­reduction, access to resources such as aerial firefighting equipment, consistency of disaster recovery ­arrangements or resilience in the face of a changing climate," the paper quoted him as saying.

 

Morrison's office was not immediately available for comment.

 

Wednesday's scheduled speech comes as a fire of nearly 10,000 hectares (25,000 acres) was tearing across a national park south of the capital.

 

Authorities have said there was no immediate danger to the city's outer suburbs but have warned of a return to dangerous conditions later in the week, when temperatures are scheduled to remain over 40 degrees Celsius (104 Farenheit) for several days.

 

Bushfires have killed 33 people and an estimated 1 billion native animals in Australia since September, while 2,500 homes and a wilderness area the size of Greece have been destroyed.

 

Here are Wednesday's key events in the bushfire crisis:

 

- NSW firefighters were tackling 62 fires. Only one fire is at "watch and act" warning level, meaning there was no immediate danger. The rest are at lower warning levels.

 

- In Victoria state, there were 15 warnings in place, none of which was deemed an immediate threat to property.

 

- A high pressure weather pattern is set to move across Australia's east coast later this week, bring soaring temperatures over the weekend.

 

(Reporting by Byron Kaye; Editing by Tom Brown)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2020-01-29

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[Mick501]

2 hours ago, car720 said:

This is precisely what Peter Dutton wants.

More and more power.

Australians are in for a shock.

Dutton is Home Affairs minister.  Wouldn't apply to anything in his portfolio.

[samran]

20 hours ago, car720 said:

This is precisely what Peter Dutton wants.

More and more power.

Australians are in for a shock.

Dutton doesn’t need to be PM. Being in charge of his mega department is more powerful in many ways. Scary in the best of circumstances. 

[samran]

35 minutes ago, car720 said:

I wonder if he likes to wear a dress just like J. Edger Hoover.

Well, we know he has a thing for au pairs...

[tifino]

at least the ABC is trying to keep up with the reality of what's happening on the ground

fire over runs RFS firetruck