Troy Grant savaged by Alan Jones over NSW response to Tathra fires

Alan Jones savages Troy Grant, deriding the NSW government’s response to the Tathra bushfires as ‘utterly inadequate’ | LISTEN

Alan Jones savaged Troy Grant on air.

Emergency Services Minister Troy Grant was this morning savaged by broadcaster Alan Jones, who derided the NSW government’s response to the Tathra bushfires as “utterly inadequate”.

Mr Grant called into the 2GB program just after 7.30am to answer questions about the government’s handling of the Tathra blaze, which destroyed 69 houses this week.

His appearance came moments before the government announced that former Australian Federal Police Commissioner Mick Keelty would undertake an independent review into the Bega Valley fire, as foreshadowed in The Australian today.

Mr Keelty’s review will focus on call-out procedures to the fire after the union raised concerns about a potential turf war between the state’s two firefighting agencies, the NSW Rural Fire Service and Fire and Rescue NSW.

When asked what the state government was doing to address disunity among the agencies, Mr Grant said he was not prepared to conduct a “post-mortem” on the issue and that the first priority was stopping the fire.

“We still have fires active in Tathra, we have fire and rescue workers working alongside rural fire workers who are continually trying to protect that area,” Mr Grant said.

“We still have significant work to be done in the final mop up phase”.

Police Minister Troy Grant.

The Fire Brigade Employees Union claimed many of the 69 houses lost in the fire could have been saved if offers of assistance from metropolitan fire brigades weren’t rejected by the Rural Fire Service.

When asked what the state government was doing to address disunity among the agencies, Mr Grant said he was not prepared to conduct a “post-mortem” on the issue and that the first priority was stopping the fire.

“We still have fires active in Tathra, we have fire and rescue workers working alongside rural fire workers who are continually trying to protect that area,” Mr Grant said.

“We still have significant work to be done in the final mop up phase”.

Almost immediately he was challenged by an agitated Mr Jones who reminded the minister that the bulk of the fire had been brought under control and that 69 families had lost their homes and properties to it.

“Alan, no one is talking about the great effort done by fire fighting services, with about 394 houses saved,” Mr Grant said.

The comments seemed to tip the broadcaster over the edge.

“If it was your house and contents that you had just lost, you wouldn’t want to hear Minister Grant talking rubbish about an inquiry would you?” Mr Jones yelled.

“Are you people capable of making any decisions?”

“What are you actually doing to avoid this conflict that has gone on for years?”

Mr Grant said Mr Keelty’s independent review, as well as a separate coroner’s inquest announced this week, would ensure that questions of turf wars were appropriately answered.

“The Rural Fire Service Commissioner has already referred this to the coroner, the most independent body who will do a full and thorough investigation,” Mr Grant responded.

“Wouldn’t you want a response from an independent inquest, Alan?”

Becoming increasingly frustrated at Mr Grant’s refusal to answer his questions, Mr Jones ridiculed the minister, saying he had “absolutely no idea” what was going on or what he was talking about.

“I’m sorry but I find your response utterly inadequate and if you were one of the people who saw their house burn to the ground you wouldn’t be talking like this,” Mr Jones said.

“I thank for you for your time, at least you came on the show”.

He then abruptly cut the segment and returned to the air minutes later to deride the NSW government for its “inability to solve the problem”, listing examples from council amalgamation to lock out laws.

“I just get so fed up with these people,” he said.

“Everyone knows about the problem, people are writing about the problem, people are talking about the problem but what’s the government doing? Nothing”.

He claimed the government had responded by calling an inquiry to “get it off the front page” of newspapers.