Premier Steven Marshall cancels Christmas Holiday amid bushfire emergency
Premier Steven Marshall has cancelled a Christmas holiday in New Zealand and vowed to remain on the job until South Australia’s bushfire emergency has passed.
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Premier Steven Marshall has cancelled a planned holiday to New Zealand as hundreds of emergency services personnel continue to battle fires across the state.
Mr Marshall told the Sunday Mail that he would not be leaving for his Christmas holidays while the State Emergency Centre was still active.
“I was meant to finish work yesterday but I have pushed those plans back,” he said.
“I don’t think it is appropriate to go on holiday while the State Emergency Centre is operational.
“While that still remains in force and my primary focus is to do everything that I can.
“I understand that I can’t be much practical use in one of these fires, I’m not on the front line, but there are powers I have as Premier which need to be available if things start going in the wrong direction.
“I am committed to staying here until we get the all clear and the state emergency centre is stood down.”
Mr Marshall spent Saturday morning in Mount Barker attending both the CFS control centre, which is managing the Cudlee Creek fire, and the relief centre.
“It is still a very volatile situation, we have two fires which are still not contained and so we will wait to see how that develops,” he said.
“Many of the people at the relief centre just don’t know what they will be confronted with when they return home.
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“Some people have got some thoughts, they believe their properties have been wiped out but they haven’t been back yet.
“My heart goes out to those people who are still extraordinarily worried about the extent of the damage.”
Prime Minister Scott Morrison pulled the pin on his holiday in Hawaii on Friday as fires burning in New South Wales become the largest in Australian recorded history.
