Remarks, Crisis Coordination Centre

PRIME MINISTER: I’m here at the Crisis Centre of Emergency Management Australia and this is where we’re pulling in all the various information that is coming in from across the country. But obviously the vast majority of that is coming in from New South Wales. We’re still a long way from being out of the woods on this one. And the front, which is coming up along the southern coast of New South Wales, will be making up through those areas that have been deemed catastrophic today.

What I’ve been particularly impressed by over the last few days has been the level of preparations that have been put in place to prepare for this day. Whether it’s ensuring the kids are home from school today, which removes just one other variable that can be in play in a time of a catastrophic fire, through to the preparing plans that individuals and their households have been going through. I want to particularly commend the New South Wales government and Commissioner Fitzsimmons for the great work that the Rural Fire Service is doing in New South Wales. They’re working in very close cooperation, whether it’s with our, of course, with our team here and Rob Cameron leading up the team here, but engaging with our Defence Force. Our Defence Force have been at the ready. They’ve already been supporting with a range of different tasks, largely in airlift tasks. But their assets are available and they’re to be called in by the New South Wales authorities as soon as they need to. I’ve been in regular contact with the New South Wales Premier today, and they’re leading this effort, of course, and they’re very aware of the readiness of other authorities to come and assist.

I want to thank, particularly today, all those employers out there today who have allowed their employees to be out there fighting these fires and providing other forms of volunteer support that have been necessary. Those fires, particularly, as you can see up on the mid coast area and further north, they are ferocious fires and people have been out there for some days now. And I want to thank all of those employers today who let their employees go out there and serve their communities. Those employers, particularly small and medium-sized businesses in these regional areas, they’re carrying a bigger weight today so our volunteers can go out there and fight those fires. And they are as much a part of this effort as everybody else and I want to thank them for doing that. And so as the day progresses and as we go into the days ahead, this coordinated effort will continue and I think Australians should feel very confident about the way that these agencies have learned from the horrific fires of the past, in particular Black Saturday and the level of technology and intelligence and information sharing, the relationships that have been formed is ensuring we’re getting everything to where it needs to get to as soon as it needs to get to.

But we’re up against something big today, as you can see. And so I’d caution everybody to stay in close contact with the information services, the Fires Near Me app, which is available from the Rural Fire Service, is an outstanding app providing the warnings, telling you what you need to do and where the fires are. Stay in contact with that. Make sure your plans are in place and you’re listening to the radio or the other forms of access you have to information to help you make good decisions and keep safe yourself. Look after each other. Be particularly aware of those who are less able or invalid or of advanced age who are in your community. You know where they are. They live in your street. And let’s all look after each other today.

Particularly, I want to thank the great work being done by volunteer firefighters, the emergency services and all of them supporting them in their courageous efforts today. This will go on for some time and the resources will be there to continue to support that effort for as long as it takes today.

JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, have you spoken to Barnaby Joyce today and what did you make of his comments?

PRIME MINISTER: No, I haven’t had the opportunity to speak to him today. And look, I would just simply say this – I think it’s important that at moments like this, everybody take it down a few notches. What matters is people who are in need and ensuring the operational support is there for the services they need to ensure that we can address this crisis. There are plenty of opportunities for people to say things about any number of other issues on other occasions. But right now, what they want to see is Australians coming together. So I would urge people, let’s just focus on what we need to focus on right now. There are plenty of other topics for other days, but today let’s just focus on those who need it most. They’re not helped by this type of argument that is going on. That’s not something that I think is really helping the situation. It’s certainly not something that I would or have been seeking to engage in and the reason for that is simple. It’s not because all of these issues aren’t important. It’s because people need to know that we’re focused on their needs right here and now and the operational support they need.

JOURNALIST: Prime Minister will be directing or asking Michael McCormack to discipline Barnaby Joyce?

PRIME MINISTER: Look, I’ve said all I need to say on that issue. I think everybody – everybody – there’s been a lot of provocative comments made over the last few days from all sides of this debate. And I find it very unhelpful and I don’t think it’s particularly helpful to those who need to know that we are 100 per cent focused on the supporting effort to where they are in their moment of crisis. That’s where my mind is. That’s where my head is. That’s where the Premier’s mind is and that’s where the Premier’s head is. And that’s what they need to be assured of. And I can tell you, I’m not taking any interest in all of those other distractions. What I’m focused on is what the operational support needs to be at a Commonwealth level and to support our state partners in New South Wales and Queensland.

JOURNALIST: There has been inflammatory rhetoric around this but Barnaby Joyce is a member of the Coalition. What did you make of his remarks specifically and what will be done about it?

PRIME MINISTER: Well, I think these are very unhelpful. But again, I’m not going to be distracted by debates happening between politicians. The last thing that people in real need and urgent crisis need at the moment is hearing politicians shout at each other. It’s completely unhelpful. And it’s not something that I’m practising. It’s not something the Premier is practising. There is a time and a place to debate, you know, controversial issues and important issues. Right now, it’s important to focus on the needs of Australians who need our help. They need our support. They need our practical assistance on the ground. They’re getting it. They’re going to continue to get it and that’s who I am focused on. Thanks very much.

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