Scott Morrison’s poll burn smokes out Josh Frydenberg and Sussan Ley

With Scott Morrison as unpopular as Bill Shorten at his lowest, the government has opted for an emergency strategy.

Dicey veges reach a rock wallaby without injury. Picture: Twitter

With Scott Morrison as unpopular as Bill Shorten at his lowest, the government has opted for an emergency strategy: keep the Prime Minister from the cameras. Josh Frydenberg and Environment Minister Sussan Ley fronted a press conference at Port Macquarie Koala Hospital to spruik a $50m emergency wildlife relief package for injured animals, habitat recovery and controlling predators and pests. “Just petty cash” and a “fluffy PR exercise”, said Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young.

As the Treasurer noted (albeit about climate change policy): “For some people, whatever you do will never be enough. For others, whatever you do will be too much.” The money will be split between an expert advisory panel and community groups. Despite agreeing to the government’s request to provide a backdrop for the animal announcement, the hard-working team at the Port Macquarie Koala Hospital may not receive any extra cash. They’ve been told to apply, with no guarantees. It’s estimated 1.25 billion animals have died in fires. And in NSW they’ve taken a rather creative approach to saving our endangered fluffy friends — Operation Rock Wallaby. Tonnes of carrots and sweet potatoes have been thrown out of helicopters in the past week to feed brush-tailed rock wallabies trapped in charred NSW bush.

Operation Rock Wallaby in action. Picture: Twitter

State Environment Minister Matt Kean posted photos of the air drop and one happy customer enjoying a carrot. But we couldn’t stop ourselves morbidly wondering: Wouldn’t a sweet potato do some damage if it was dropped from such great heights? Fortunately, a spokesperson from the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service confirmed that “no animals were injured or killed” by flying vegetables. “The carrots are dispatched from just above the trees (low height). Brush-tailed Rock-wallabies hide under rock ledges during the day, especially when there is noise from a helicopter and a visual check is undertaken of the sites before the food is dropped.”

Operation Rock Wallaby in action. Picture: Twitter

Albo’s dig for worms

“The cute, furry animals matter. But so do these guys,” Labor leader (and preferred prime minister) Anthony Albanese tweeted with a link to an ABC story headlined “Tiny lizards, frogs and worms: meet the hidden bushfire victims”.

Bear mettle

Thoughts and prayers for ITV News Asia correspondent Debi Edward,who was tricked into wearing padded protective gear, gloves and goggles before being handed a “vicious” drop bear by Kangaroo Island Wildlife Park’s co-owner Sam Mitchell. “Shit, shit, shit, I’m really not happy,” Edward exclaims in a video while holding a koala. Her pranksters tell her they’re “going to get the dartgun. Don’t move.” She is informed the creature has venomous fangs and is known to drop from trees and attack. “Everybody looks very, very worried about this,” the Scottish reporter says. “I’m trying not to be worried because I’m told he can sense if I’m worried.”

Croc shock

No one tell Bob Katter but a Townsville teen is lucky to be alive after a crocodile snuck up behind him and ate a turtle he was holding. Coree Summerville was fishing off a jetty at The Strand on Saturday when he jumped into the water to help the struggling turtle, which was stuck belly up. “Then out of nowhere this 2m croc came up and ate half of it,” the 15-year-old told the Townsville Bulletin. Swimming enclosures were closed and the Queensland Department of Environment says the crocodile will be targeted for removal by wildlife officers … if they can find it.

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