Littleproud responds to scathing bushfire criticism

FEDERAL plan revealed ahead of worsening conditions.

MOVING FORWARD: David Littleproud visited a number of fire affected communities today. Photo: Mick Tsikas

MEMBER for Maranoa David Littleproud hit back at critics who accused the federal government of dragging its feet on a response to the national bushfire crisis.

Shocking footage showed a volunteer firefighter telling Prime Minister Scott Morrison to “go f--k himself” and fire-affected residents questioning why their small towns had been forgotten by federal funding.

Mr Littleproud, however, maintains requests for federal fire assistance were approved “within minutes.”

“Since the fires began in September I have approved nearly 50 tasking requests from the state governments for defence force support,” the Minister for Water Resources, Drought, Rural Finance, Natural Disaster and Emergency Management said.

“While the state governments take the operational lead on fire fighting the federal government assists based on advice from AFAC, the peak body of fire commissioners in nationally co-ordinating assets.”

The Bureau of Meteorology predicts fire conditions will worsen across the country on Thursday and Friday, when the rain clears and temperatures rise.

The Australian Defence Force will work at the direction of state fire authorities to assist rural and regional communities to prepare for bushfire and aid in the recovery of those who have already been hit the hardest.

Since the widespread criticism the federal government also announced $2B in funding towards the bushfire recovery effort, to come from the annual budget.

Originally published as