Interview with Neil Mitchell, 3AW
3 January 2020
NEIL MITCHELL: Prime Minister good morning.
PRIME MINISTER: Good morning Neil.
MITCHELL: Where are you headed to?
PRIME MINISTER: We’re heading up to Bairnsdale today and we’ll be taking a look up there and just seeing the scene on the ground there. But particularly this morning I've been meeting with Brigadier Laidlaw who's come up here, he's been down at the headquarters in Melbourne, speaking again, on many occasions, yesterday with the Premier. A lot of the focus today has obviously been the evacuation through the Choules, which I put in place from Tuesday of this week to get things moving. That evacuation is proceeding at the moment, as I think you were just chatting to someone from down that way just then. But there is still a lot of work to be done on clearing roads where we can to get to a lot of these some inaccessible communities and where possible, although it's been difficult because of the smoke, to get our roving aircraft in to try and get people out who are wanting to go. But today, a big focus on evacuation. I think the declaration of disaster that the Premier has put in place, I think will heighten that that urgency around people's decision to move. We saw that yesterday and early on that in New South Wales, which is what that does, is that does very much relieve the pressure on the local emergency services to be focussed on the local community if others, holiday makers or others, get themselves back home.
MITCHELL: The people being evacuated on the Choules, where will they go?
PRIME MINISTER: They will head back, that information isn’t exactly in front of me I’ve got to say Neil, but that's been obviously run by Defence. But they are taking them to the port, which is not too far away so they can get back access to Melbourne.
MITCHELL: Yeah well that was part of the problem. We're not clear. I wasn’t clear whether Port Welshpool or to Hastings,
PRIME MINISTER: Yeah to Welshpool, it’s Welshpool.
MITCHELL: not Hastings?
PRIME MINISTER: I understand it’s Welshpool.
MITCHELL: And how do you get them from Welshpool to Melbourne?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, that's been coordinated by emergency services in Victoria. So that's being handled by the State agencies.
MITCHELL: Ok, because we've got people ringing in, offering to go and drive them, drive people back if necessary. That won't be necessary?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, I don't believe so from what the Premier's been saying. But the Defence Forces are coordinating the move to get people and this is being done actually with the Red Cross and others who were on the ground and has been processing the people there to ensure we know where everyone is that and then coordinating their movements. And so this is the coordinated effort with the State agencies, so they’ll pick it up on the other side.
MITCHELL: I'm told that if these fires join, we could- they could be unstoppable. They could burn to the sea. Is that your advice?
PRIME MINISTER: This is the risk, and something the Premier I discussed last night. I mean these fires are catastrophic and joining up of the New South Wales and Victorian fires obviously presents a very great risk with what we're seeing with the weather conditions we're expecting over the next few days. And that's why both Premiers in both states have declared their respective disaster and emergency status.
MITCHELL: I was talking to a farmer earlier in a place called Bruthen, which is, he’s a CFA man as well. He said they've got real problems with communications, he said, tell the Prime Minister we desperately need generators for that and also to milk the cows because the cows are in trouble. How do we do that? How do we get generators to these people?
PRIME MINISTER: Well I get emergency services, are working on those issues. And the towns they’re in yesterday. They're working on getting those in place. That's something I've been raising with the Defence Forces today. I mean, once the fires move through on the weekend, I mean, a lot of the effort now we're working on with Defence and linking it up with the state authorities is the response to exactly those types of situations. Now, the scale of these fires though Neil, I think we have to understand mean that the scale of the [inaudible] will be significant. And in some places where you've got comms towers, which are in very inaccessible areas, it’s very difficult to stand them up again. And so but in those circumstances, that’s where sat phones and other things are used to get that support in where it's needed. But this is a very extreme situation and that will place a lot of pressure on the system.
MITCHELL: What are - you are quoted today talking about possibly reviewing fuel reduction policies and building restrictions. What do you mean there?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, with hazard reduction. I mean, I've been asked on many occasions over the course of the last three months, because while the fires are burning savagely here in Victoria and New South Wales, they've been burning since September in Queensland and up in northern parts of New South Wales. And, you know, one of the constant issues that is raised and quite reasonably, is what is causing all this, what is leading to all this. And my response has always been there is a wide range of factors. And obviously, the drought is the most significant of those and the climate conditions around that. And also what has been raised on the ground with me, and it is true here as well, is hazard reduction and fuel load management in national parks. That is just an issue that has been raised and on the other side of this post, the fires, then when you look at all the contributing factors and then obviously that's one along with many others that we will all have to look at together.
MITCHELL: And the restriction of building in certain areas.
PRIME MINISTER: Well, again, I mean, it's if we're looking at homes that have been destroyed and places where people have been put at risk, then obviously for state governments, they have to be thinking carefully about where they're allowing people to build. But equally, the rules, that then sit around land clearing around properties and the ability for people to better fortify their premises.
MITCHELL: This is going to be with us, the effects of this will be with us for years won’t they? I mean there’s economic effects, there’s the personal trauma and the rest of it. We've got many tough days ahead because of all this.
PRIME MINISTER: More than days.
MITCHELL: Months.
PRIME MINISTER: That's exactly right. And then the fire risk still there in the months. Not the weeks. And so this will prolong. And that's why I've put in place, and spoke again to the Premier last night, about arrangements for the volunteer firefighters where they're suffering income losses and if he wishes to activate that then I'm sure he will. That's also being activated in South Australia and Tasmania today. It already is in New South Wales and Queensland. These fires are different because of the prolonged nature of the season across the country. I appreciate that in Victoria, they are raging more recently, but as I said, around the country the season has been very long and we've had Victorian firefighters up fighting fires in New South Wales and Queensland and other parts of the country. And that service has been extraordinary helpful and now, that the fight is here in Victoria.
MITCHELL: After Black Saturday, we saw significant economic impact. Is there an economic impact from these fires, on the Australian economy I mean?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, of course, there will be, and we'll have to assess that. And I think the recovery phase, as we've been working through up in north Queensland from the floods that were there earlier this year, and a big part of our response there has been the rebuilding, looking at how we rebuild herds and how we are obviously working with the state government there to rebuild railways and roads and then all of this, the same will be necessary here in Victoria and in New South Wales. So there'll be a lot of focus on the recovery effort once the fires are out. But the payment mechanisms that we have in place, around about $25 million dollars has already been paid out in disaster payments to people across the country. The majority of that has been in New South Wales. I'm expecting that to rise quite significantly here in Victoria as the damage assessments are undertaken and I admit right now we're in the middle of a firestorm here. And one of the issues is, is getting in and seeing where the damage is. And that's why we had so many people still unaccounted for, which is terribly distressing, I know for everyone.
MITCHELL: Is this, we’re talking about it being an unprecedented situation, but is this the new normal, for whatever reason? Is this the new normal?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, I think that's a very important question. And we're looking at a season here which has been very prolonged. But I think we also have to understand that it’s on the back of a very severe drought and there were concerns that we may have faced this last year with the severity of the drought as well. And it has hit us this year. What that means in terms of where the situation of the climate is 12 months from now. Well, the best weather specialists will be examining that and advising us like they always do, as they did going into this season, which is why we increased the aerial for firefighting, the big fire bombers, we increased the size of that, on the recommendation of the Chiefs, I mean, these Chiefs meet very regularly. And that's a big part of what the Commonwealth does through Emergency Management Australia, is constantly coordinating between all the fire Chiefs and all the emergency services Ministers across the country. I mean, rightly, these efforts are run at a state level and should be, our job to support them in every way we can. And I appreciate the strong co-operation I've had with Dan Andrews. Everything he's asked, he's got, and we're going beyond that now and being quite proactive. I mean, the Choules was a very good example of that. But we've also had the Spartans and the Chinooks and the Black Hawks have also been doing evacuations up here where I am in East Gippsland.
MITCHELL: Do we need to get a more formal arrangement. Where you've got emergency services Ministers in a video conference or something? I know you've been criticised for not doing it.
PRIME MINISTER: Well these things already happen. I mean, the Chiefs already do this on a regular basis. I mean, one of the things I often see in events like this is a lot of assumptions are made about what does and doesn't happen. These things already do happen, and the level of coordination is there. The challenge now, Neil, is the scale of what we've seen across several states now and those resources being stretched. And that's why the ADF deployment has been increasing quite markedly now. But I want to stress, the ADF, our Defence Forces have been out there supporting these fire efforts now since September. They're not new to the scene. What has happened is obviously with the evacuation necessity here in Victoria, then using those naval assets has become very important. So it has been a prolonged and sustained effort, but it's been escalating based on the requests that we're receiving.
MITCHELL: Prime Minister you’re receiving, you're being heckled in some places you are going, people are refusing to shake hands with you? Why?
PRIME MINISTER: Because people are angry and people are,
MITCHELL: Angry with you?
PRIME MINISTER: People are upset. Well, whether they're angry with me or they're angry about this situation, all I know is that they're hurting. And it's my job to be there to try and offer some comfort and support. That's my job. I don't take these things personally. Why would I? I know that people are hurting. I know that they're raw and I know what our job is. And it is to work closely with the states, support them in everything they need and to pre-empt their requests and ensure that our Defence Forces or other agencies are ready to go.
MITCHELL: But even the local Liberal member in Bega, the state member Andrew Constance said the reception you got, you got what you deserved. I mean, you know, he's not one of the people in the middle of the trauma. He said, you go what you deserved.
PRIME MINISTER: I haven't seen those comments.
MITCHELL: You're confident you've done everything you could?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, of course. I mean, this is a massive fire that has been running across four states and arguably now five, because Tasmania has also been affected more recently as well. Not in the same way we've seen here, a year ago, they were fighting fires down in the Huon Valley. So it is our role to support and give every assistance we can to the state and I appreciate what Premier Andrews has been saying about that level of cooperation. But what I do know Neil is I know people are angry and they'll often fixate on whether it's a Prime Minister or someone else, and I understand that. I understand the emotion. I understand the hurt, the anger and the frustration. And what we will do is just continue to use every resource and person we have to assist the situation, and every Australian as we are able.
MITCHELL: You are also due to go to India later this month. Are you still going?
PRIME MINISTER: That's still the plan. We're reviewing that at the moment. It is a very important meeting, that meeting in India. But we will be considering that over the next few days. But at the moment, that plan is still in place. But, you know, when you're dealing with these issues, then you need to consider, you know, the relative merits of the choices.
MITCHELL: When are you due to leave?
PRIME MINISTER: I'll be leaving on Sunday week, that’s the plan.
MITCHELL: Thank you very much for your time. I appreciate it. Thank you.
PRIME MIINSTER: Thanks a lot Neil, can I just ask everybody to follow instructions and be aware of the urgency of the situation and please be patient and all resources and all authorities are working very closely together. Thank you Neil.
MITCHELL: Thank you. Prime Minister Scott Morrison.
