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Friday, 3 January 2020
Scott Morrison heckled after he tries to shake hands with bushfire victim in NSW town of Cobargo
Prime minister seen picking up woman’s hand and shaking it before
quickly leaving when she says ‘we need help’ and onlookers shout abuse
Staff and agencies
'You're not welcome': Australian PM Scott Morrison heckled by bushfire victims - video
Scott Morrison was forced to abandon a meet-and-greet in a bushfire-ravaged NSW town after being confronted by angry local residents.
The prime minister on Thursday visited the Bega Valley township of Cobargo, which was engulfed by flames on Tuesday morning.
Three people died and others lost homes, businesses, livestock and pasture when the fire hit the community.
“How are you?”Morrison asked, as he approaches one woman who has her
hands by her side. He then reaches out and takes her hand and starts
shaking it.
Scott Morrison forcing this woman to shake his hand, then ignoring her and walking away when she tells him she doesn’t want a handshake unless he gives more funding to the RFS, is fucking disgusting - even by his low standards. #bushfiresAustralia#auspol
The woman, who appears reluctant, says: “I’m only shaking your hand if you give more funding to our RFS [Rural Fire Service].”
“So many people have lost their homes.”
Another man tried to prevent the woman from confronting Morrison further, the footage from the Nine Network shows.
“We need more help,” she said, as Morrison walked away.
Scott Morrison has hastily left a meeting with bushfire victims after angry residents began yelling furiously. #9News
A group of residents later yelled at the prime minister.
“You won’t be getting any votes down here buddy. You’re an idiot.”
“Go on, piss off.”
“You’re not welcome.”
The Princes Hwy, Cobargo, before and after the New Year’s Eve bushfires. Composite: Google Maps/Twitter
One woman, leading a goat, said Mr Morrison controlled the funding and her community had been forgotten.
“This is not fair. We are totally forgotten down here,” she said,
“Every single time this area gets a flood or a fire we get nothing.
“If we lived in Sydney or on the North Coast we would be flooded with donations and emergency relief.”
Morrison and the natural disasters minister, David Littleproud, soon left the area.
Littleproud announced shortly afterwards that disaster relief payments would be open for bushfires survivors in the Bega Valley.
Payments of $1,000 per adult and $400 per child can be claimed through the Department of Human Services.
“This is for people whose home has been severely damaged or
destroyed, who’ve been seriously injured or who’ve lost a family
member,” the minister said.
“This will help to cover the immediate needs of those worst hit, and help them get through the coming days.”
Earlier on Thursday, Morrison defended his government’s response to the crisis
saying he wouldn’t allow state and federal governments “to be tripping
over each other in order to somehow outbid each other in the response”.
“What is needed is the coordinated response that these agencies
planned for in circumstances like this,” he told reporters in Sydney.
“I understand the frustration, I understand the anxiety. I understand
the fear but what I also understand is the need to allow the
professionals and the experts ... to do their job.”
At the May 2019 election, Labor’s Mike Kelly retained the marginal seat of Eden-Monaro, which includes Cobargo.
Almost
half of Cobargo locals’ primary votes went to Kelly, 33% went to
Liberal candidate Fiona Kotvojs and 14% went to the Greens.
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