ScoMo rewards the heroic fire fighters in a big votes winner

i heard the abc and labor complaining about this deal...  wheras i thought it was sensible and a good deal for the firies.

While Anal cowers in shame after his abortive shameful foto shoot exploiting our fire fighting heroes ScoMo shines like a holy beacon on the Mountain of Might.


Australia fires: Volunteer firefighters to receive compensation
28 December 2019


Media captionViews at Australia's iconic Three Sisters rock formation are obscured by thick smoke

Volunteer firefighters in New South Wales will get compensation for loss of earnings after spending time away from jobs to battle bushfires in the state, Australia's federal government says.

The offer of up to A$6,000 ($4,200; £3,200) for privately-employed volunteers follows weeks of wrangling.

PM Scott Morrison - who had previously rejected the idea - said it should not lead to permanent pay.

More than 100 fires are continuing to burn, with the largest near Sydney.

Authorities fear a heatwave forecast to sweep across Australia in the coming days could see the bushfires escalate.

Temperatures are set to hit over 40C (104F) in several bushfire-affected states including New South Wales, South Australia and Victoria.

The sacrifices of Australia's unpaid firefighters
Mr Morrison's compensation announcement came after weeks of criticism by opposition parties.

"The early and prolonged nature of this fire season has made a call beyond what is typically made on our volunteer firefighters," Mr Morrison said.


The BBC's Shaimaa Khalil visited the village of Balmoral which was razed by the fires

There are 70,000 people in the New South Wales Rural Fire Service, most of them unpaid.

Earlier this month two volunteer firefighters - both young fathers - were killed when a tree fell on their truck as they drove towards a massive fire in the state.

The compensation scheme is a joint initiative between the federal government and NSW. The federal government says other states and territories could bring in similar schemes.

Volunteers who are employed by small- and medium-sized businesses or are self-employed will be able to apply for up to A$300 per day that they have volunteered if they have spent more than 10 days battling the flames.

"While I know RFS volunteers don't seek payment for their service, I don't want to see volunteers or families unable to pay bills, or struggle financially as a result of the selfless contribution they are making," Mr Morrison said.

"This is not about paying volunteers. It is about sustaining our volunteer efforts by protecting them from financial loss."


A massive shout out to 100s and 100s of volunteers that gave up their Christmas and Boxing Day to cut lines, backburn, mop up and black out. This is extremely important work to try and contain fires ahead of deteriorating weather early next week. Thank you. 


New South Wales Rural Fire Service commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons had also previously rejected the idea compensation.

"Don't do the volunteers a disservice by suggesting that you're going to pay them, because then they're no longer volunteers and that's absolutely the sentiment that I'm getting loud and clear everywhere I go," Mr Fitzsimmons said earlier this week.

Meanwhile, in Sydney, more than a quarter of a million people have signed a petition to cancel the New Year's Eve fireworks and spend the money on fighting bushfires instead, the Sydney Morning Herald reported.

But Sydney Mayor Clover Moore said earlier this month that the fireworks had been planned for more than a year and could not be cancelled. She said the display would make A$130m for the regional economy.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-australia-50932729

Oh isn't our ScoMo such a wonderful caring great man as he bestows largesse on our fire fighting heroes ?

ScoMo sure knows how to make every post a winner. While Anal snarls as his FAKE FOTO shoot exploiting the fire fighters falls flat in great shame.




PM Scott Morrison okays payments for NSW volunteer firefighters
Jade Macmillan 11:36am, Dec 29, 2019 Updated: 3h ago


Volunteers in NSW will be up for payments of as much as $6000. Photo: Getty

Volunteer firefighters in New South Wales will be able to apply for up to $6,000 in compensation from the Federal Government, Prime Minister Scott Morrison has announced.

But Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese said volunteer firefighters from all states should be able to access financial compensation for their efforts, not just those from New South Wales.

Mr Morrison said the money would be made available to NSW Rural Fire Service (RFS) volunteers who are self-employed or working for small or medium-sized businesses and who had been called out for more than 10 days this fire season.

The payments of up to $300 per person, per day — up to $6,000 in total — will be tax-free and not means-tested.

“While I know RFS volunteers don’t seek payment for their service, I don’t want to see volunteers or their families unable to pay bills or struggle financially as a result of the selfless contribution they are making,” Mr Morrison said in a statement.

“This is not about paying volunteers. It is about sustaining our volunteer efforts by protecting them from financial loss.”
Mr Morrison said other states and territories could request a similar scheme based on their level of need.

Opposition leader Anthony Albanese wonders why only NSW volunteers? But Mr Albanese argued firefighters outside NSW needed extra support now. Mr Albanese said volunteer firefighters across the country needed compensation. 

“What about the South Australians and Victorians who’ve given up more than 10 days travelling across at their own expense into New South Wales to fight fires, travelling to Queensland?” he said.

“This has been an issue that was raised with me across the country.”

Queensland’s Rural Fire Brigades Association general manager, Justin Choveaux, said Mr Morrison’s announcement would start a conversation for Queensland and urged the State Government to act now.

“We’d encourage the [Queensland] Government to get on to the Federal Government ASAP and also get on to the volunteer representative organisations in Queensland and say, ‘How are we going to make this work for the benefit of the people who defend the state for free’,” he said.


Volunteer fighters give their time, their sweat and sometimes their lives to protect their communities. Photo: AAP

The Government has come under increasing pressure, including from within its own ranks, to compensate volunteers as devastating bushfires continue to burn.

Mr Morrison has previously said he had not received any requests from fire chiefs for volunteers to be paid but last week announced those who were also Commonwealth employees would receive an additional four weeks’ leave to fight the fires.

“This announcement provides employees of small and medium-sized businesses and self-employed volunteers with the same level of support,” Mr Morrison said.

“We expect larger companies to provide their employees with 20 days of emergency services leave.”

The Federal Government payments will be administered by New South Wales and are expected to be made available before the end of January.

Volunteer Fire Fighters Association president Mick Holton praised the Prime Minister’s announcement.

He said some members spent their own money on expenses, including petrol spent driving to fire fronts and crowd funding for smoke masks.

“This payment is no different to any other worker making an out-of-pocket-expense claim for their employment,” Mr Holton said.

“It’s a step in the right direction — people will be rejoicing.”

But he conceded there was concern compensation may attract the wrong types of volunteers.

“Sometimes when we have major fires we get people coming out of the woodwork. Many have skills and are worthwhile participants. Others maybe not so.”