Qld bushfires: McCormack, Bandt clash over cause

The Deputy Prime Minister has accused the Greens leader of politicising the nation’s devastating bushfires as victims grapple with loss of property and even life.

Deputy Prime Minister and Regional Development Minister Michael McCormack has savaged comments by Greens federal leader Adam Bandt linking the loss of lives in devastating bushfires to the Government’s climate change policies.

Speaking after visiting emergency crews and disaster victims near Noosa, Mr McCormack said the comments were “stupid and despicable”, as people who had just lost loved ones and property did not want their tragedies politicised.

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“Comments coming from a little Melbourne apartment, from a little individual with a little mind should not be accepted or tolerated at this time,” he said.

He said although some of the fires were unprecedented, they were flaring after a prolonged drought with a built-up fuel load being fanned by hot and windy weather.

“This is unfortunately the Australia that we all too often have seen in the past; fires are not unusual, not uncommon to Australia nor are droughts and nor are floods,” he said.

Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack meets Queensland Fire and Emergency Services crew members on the Sunshine Coast. Picture: Rob Maccoll/AAP

State Opposition Leader Deb Frecklington praised the more than 1000 volunteers helping the professional emergency services fight the fires raging across the state and warned residents in affected areas to listen to them.

“Just listen to the experience of the emergency service workers, it is important that we do everything we can to help out, particularly the police, when they are asking communities to stay out of their homes, that they do that,” she said.

“I know that the conditions don’t look necessarily like they’re going to improve anytime soon but our hearts and thoughts are just with everyone in these fire affected communities.”

State Opposition Leader Deb Frecklington speaks to the media, flanked by Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack (right) and Natural Disaster and Emergency Management Minister David Littleproud (second from left). Picture: Rob Maccoll/AAP

Federal Natural Disaster and Emergency Management Minister David Littleproud said the “serious” situation was far from over, with areas of the country set to face even more challenging conditions this week.

“We’ve already had this season some five fatalities ... so please do not take this for granted that it will be OK, that she’ll be right, it won’t be, there are brave men and women … who have just been on their feet for 18 hours, protecting you and your property you owe it to them to have a plan and do exactly, exactly what they say,” he said.

He said the Federal Government was ready to act on any application from the Queensland Government to trigger emergency assistance to people affected by the fires.