2 years ago
LA NINA COMING BUT MORRISON’S DISASTER FUND STILL UNUSED
Murray Watt MP
The Bureau of Meteorology has today declared a La Niña weather event, after the first cyclone of the season formed off the Western Australian coast.
Tropical Cyclone Paddy has developed near Christmas Island but there is currently no immediate threat to the mainland or offshore communities.
Today’s BOM advice shows that Australians can expect a wet summer, with widespread flooding and severe tropical cyclones predicted as part of La Nina. The Bureau says there is a 65 percent chance of seeing more than 11 cyclones this season.
Aussies are doing their part to prepare for disaster season, but the Morrison Government is not doing theirs.
With disaster season underway, Scott Morrison has still not spent a cent from his $4.7 billion Emergency Response Fund, two and a half years after it was announced. The ERF has proven to be the government’s own cash cow, earning $726 million dollars in interest.
This fund can spend up to $200 million a year for disaster recovery and resilience measures and could have been used to build cyclone shelters, evacuation centres, fire breaks and flood levees right across Australia.
But we now start the third disaster season since the fund was announced, with not one project even commenced, let alone completed.
Two years ago, Scott Morrison ignored the warnings and the Black Summer bushfires devastated much of the country.
With cyclones now approaching, Scott Morrison has again failed to act, and Australians are being put at risk.
On disaster management, it’s always too little, too late.
Tropical Cyclone Paddy has developed near Christmas Island but there is currently no immediate threat to the mainland or offshore communities.
Today’s BOM advice shows that Australians can expect a wet summer, with widespread flooding and severe tropical cyclones predicted as part of La Nina. The Bureau says there is a 65 percent chance of seeing more than 11 cyclones this season.
Aussies are doing their part to prepare for disaster season, but the Morrison Government is not doing theirs.
With disaster season underway, Scott Morrison has still not spent a cent from his $4.7 billion Emergency Response Fund, two and a half years after it was announced. The ERF has proven to be the government’s own cash cow, earning $726 million dollars in interest.
This fund can spend up to $200 million a year for disaster recovery and resilience measures and could have been used to build cyclone shelters, evacuation centres, fire breaks and flood levees right across Australia.
But we now start the third disaster season since the fund was announced, with not one project even commenced, let alone completed.
Two years ago, Scott Morrison ignored the warnings and the Black Summer bushfires devastated much of the country.
With cyclones now approaching, Scott Morrison has again failed to act, and Australians are being put at risk.
On disaster management, it’s always too little, too late.