WHAT BUSHFIRE SURVIVORS WANT FOR CHRISTMAS

December 22, 2020

WHAT BUSHFIRE SURVIVORS WANT FOR CHRISTMAS

Last December was a horror time for families in bushfire affected regions, as the Black Summer fires tore through large parts of the country.

This year we spare a thought for the families who lost loved ones, who lost their homes and their livelihoods. Their heartbreak is unimaginable.

As communities mark the first anniversary of the tragic fires, there is still plenty of recovery work to be done.

There are still so many people trying to get back on their feet in trying conditions, and who are still without a permanent place to call home.

It’s not right that so many of our fellow Australians are still living in caravans or other temporary accommodation, waiting to get on with their lives.

This Christmas, the Morrison Government can take steps to make life more secure for bushfire survivors:

• Speed up spending from its $2 billion National Bushfire Recovery Fund. Less than half of that has been spent, a year after the fires. People need help now, not when it suits government budgets.
• Extend the HomeBuilder program for people who lost their homes in the bushfires so they have more time to apply and can receive the full $25,000 grant.
• Implement all of the recommendations handed down by the Bushfire Royal Commission in October 2020. As a priority, create a national aerial firefighting fleet, so we can better fight future fires.

• Implement the recommendations handed down in the interim report by the Senate inquiry Lessons to be learned in relation to the Australian bushfire season 2019-20, also handed down in October 2020. In particular, direct the ACCC to monitor insurance premiums, which are likely to rise with more climate change-related natural disasters

• Reduce the impact of future disasters, by using unspent disaster prevention funds for projects like fire breaks and evacuation centre upgrades. Labor worked with the Morrison Government to establish a $4 billion disaster recovery and resilience fund, but the Government hasn’t spent a cent from it, in more than 18 months.

 

Murray Watt is the Shadow Minister for Disaster and Emergency Management.

TUESDAY, 22 DECEMBER 2020