polli publicity

[ian]

I can't see that there's anything wrong with him having a short, pre-arranged holiday with his family during the fires. It's not as if he could do anything useful, and as far away as possible from the people doing the real work is probably the best place for him.

People posting here have very very short memories...

Christmas 74, Gough Whitlam was castigated for buggering off to Europe (the museums in Paris if I recall) and not returning to deal with the aftermath of Cyclone Tracey.
Lance Banard carried the can while Darwin was evacuated.
"The great man" should have caught the first flight back but instead delayed some days before grudgingly deciding to return.

More recently, pollies have learnt from Gough and have been a lot better behaved -- at least when it comes to appearing to care -- but
Christine Nixon (Vic Police Commissioner) was given heaps (by ScoMo if I recall correctly) for going to dinner while Victoria burned -- which I thought a little unfair as she really only needed to have her mobile with her and to stay off the grog.

You may not recall but ScoMo made a huge song and dance earlier in the year when there was major flooding in north Queensland -- calling out the Army to assist -- and in that instance at least appearing to care
and in his response to the drought nary a photo-op is been missed.
But in response to the major blazes that have devastated NSW and Queensland since at least early November -- ScoMo's attitude seems to be that the fires are just "business as usual". Allowing ScoMo to justify buggering off to Hawaii with the family.
I don't think any reasonable person expects ScoMo to do a Tony Abbot and run into the scrub with a fire hose, but at the very least he could be seen to be caring while staying out of the way. Mum and the kids could even have stayed in Hawaii.

This business that he's back because of the two fireries killed at Buxton is just garbage.

[China]

ian, Very well said

[q9]

Context matters. He criticised Nixon, then did the same thing himself.

YouTube

[Glider]

but at the very least he could be seen to be caring while staying out of the way. Mum and the kids could even have stayed in Hawaii.

I saw the footage of ScoMo and Gladys at fire HQ having operations explained to them. I'm sure they weren't asked there when serious work was afoot.

IMO, leaders should be out there listening to the victims and their needs. And to the volunteers on the fire ground who need better masks and have to crowd fund for them. I don't belong to the local brigade for kicks or enjoyment. It's much more fun to sit on my bum and watch the cricket or work in the shed.

I wondered why you'd fly to Hawaii to sit on the beach when you live at Cronulla.

mick

[Lappa]

I don’t particularly like Scott Morrison but he goes away on holidays and everyone’s up in arms because he’s not here comforting people and liaisoning with the firies, so he comes back and everyone’s up in arms because he’s getting in the way and is only there for a photo shoot.

[Mr Brush]

The only surprise to me was that someone whose entire career has been built on marketing, spin, and "optics" could so fundamentally misjudge the mood of the country. In practical terms he's as useful as a chocolate teapot, but I'd at least expect him to be on top of his PR....

A government elected on a promise of doing nothing about anything was always going to be fine until something like this happened.

[ian]

In practical terms [ScoMo's] as useful as a chocolate teapot,

now you're disparaging the usefulness of chocolate tea pots. At least you can pour cold water into a chocolate tea pot.

[Glider]

Only a couple of days ago it was reported that ScoMo has an honours degree in science. It didn't reveal in what discipline, however it does mean that if anyone can dispel the belief theory about climate change and underscore the scientific facts known since Arrhenius in 1896, it should be our PM.
Google Arrhenius and climate change if you're interested. The only thing new about it is the unexpected speed of the trend.

Some leaders know what to do and others don't. This bloke has more clout than anyone to throw money and resources where they're needed. He deserves to be brought into line in the same way as he has done to others.

mick

[rustynail]

I have just finished reading our illustrious prime minister's announcement that "public service employees will be paid for their time on emergency services duties." Meanwhile the self employed can take a flying leap. Is this man joking?! I am sure the chaps that rolled up to my joint on Saturday night were not public servants or bank johnnys. It took 5 seconds to tell them what was needed and they were fully operational within a minute. If it wasn't for their efficiency my insurance company would be looking at a bill of well over $100,000. And that would just be for one shed. There are another two close by insured for the same amount. The fourth shed was lost before they got there but it was old and used for non valuables, so the loss was of small concern. If it were not for those firies we would probably have lost all the sheds as they were all within the burnt area. My wife, daughter and self had our hands full protecting the house and couldnt spare any time on the sheds. After the boys had saved the sheds they came straight back to the house to help us and set up between the house and the fire front, along with another truck, to face a wall of flames well over 20m high. Thank you Pearl Beach RFS. You said you came down to "see if you could be of assistance." Well take it from me, you achieved your goal.

[doug3030]

I have just finished reading our illustrious prime minister's announcement that "public service employees will be paid for their time on emergency services duties." Meanwhile the self employed can take a flying leap. Is this man joking?!

Rustunail, Im pleased the firies were able to save three of your sheds and your house. It must have been a huge relief when you saw that the truck was crewed by firies and not Scott Morrison and a couple of other politicians.

As to Scomo authorizing firies who work for the Government to continue drawing their pay while deployed with the RFS but not the others - I agree it is not enough. But when you think about it, that's about all he can do in that regard as a snap decision. He cannot very well order private enterprise to pay their workers while on fire duty as they rely on the revenue their workers generate at work to pay their wages. Big business may be able to handlethat but small business certainly cannot.

In order to work out some sort of plan to pay the employees of private enterprise a system would have to be put in place, similar to how employers are compensated for employees in the Defence Force Reserves. Let's hope that if something good comes out of this terrible fire season it is that procedures like that are put in place.

[poundy]

I hope that there is a way to fund the volunteers.

I agree that the (knee jerk) reaction of an additional 4 weeks leave for deployment in emergency responses for federal employees is appropriate and is a great step in the right direction. I saw on at least one social media post that ANZ Bank have matched that. So again, that's awesome if that happens elsewhere as well, but it'd be great if that could be dealt with in a wider way.

I have an old school friend who has been to so many deployments this year it's not funny. He's not self employed, but the place he works for has been absolutely fantastic letting him take time and go. I can only imagine the impact this would have on the bottom line, having a long term productive employee missing for what is now adding up to almost a couple of months unplanned - even with replacing staff with casuals, where that makes sense, would be hugely impactful. Everything we can do to help that, we should.

[Lappa]

NSW Govt closed a number of TAFE colleges that would or could be bush fire affected, telling all staff (teachers, admin, support staff etc. etc) to stay away. Some colleges were closed for 4 days.

Then an email came around reminding everyone affected by the closures to fill in a leave form as the time off would be coming out of their leave entitlements.

[Beardy]

I hope that there is a way to fund the volunteers.

I agree that the (knee jerk) reaction of an additional 4 weeks leave for deployment in emergency responses for federal employees is appropriate and is a great step in the right direction. I saw on at least one social media post that ANZ Bank have matched that. So again, that's awesome if that happens elsewhere as well, but it'd be great if that could be dealt with in a wider way.

I have an old school friend who has been to so many deployments this year it's not funny. He's not self employed, but the place he works for has been absolutely fantastic letting him take time and go. I can only imagine the impact this would have on the bottom line, having a long term productive employee missing for what is now adding up to almost a couple of months unplanned - even with replacing staff with casuals, where that makes sense, would be hugely impactful. Everything we can do to help that, we should.

I am not a fan and pretty disappointed with his announcement.
It is all fine for him to do it for public servants and then say I hope other businesses follow suite, sure you will get some of the big corporates jumping on board as it is a great marketing/ publicity stunt but the reality is that the majority of the volunteer workforce would be self employed or working in smaller businesses that do not have the financial ability to do so.
The gubberment should set up a remuneration payment to assist all the volunteers.

In Canada there are no volunteers, the firefighters are all paid professionals

[Mr Brush]

Maybe the best compromise is to set a limit on the number of "free" days that volunteers should be expected to contribute, this being a number of at least 10-15 days. Beyond that, ALL of them are compensated, whether employed full time, self-employed, or government employed? That helps to preserve the traditional "volunteer" ethos, while also ensuring that nobody is massively out of pocket through volunteering.

However you look at it, the current arrangements are clearly not sustainable. Since we can no longer rely on large (e.g. air) assets being moved around between countries with different fire seasons, perhaps some of the $$$ being frittered away on defence project cost overruns would be better spent elsewhere?

[Mr Brush]

The solution to all these problems could lie with a VIABLE opposition party, but just like the UK we don't appear to have one.....