Blue Mountains mayor Mark Greenhill has joined other mayors calling for urgent action on climate change to address the country’s catastrophic fire threat.
Eleven mayors, including the leaders of fire-impacted council areas including Bellingen, Mid Coast and Noosa, have called on the government to recognise the spiralling costs to the community from catastrophic fires, and provide more funding and resources for frontline services.
“A lack of leadership at other levels of government means that local government has to take a stand on this critical issue,” said Blue Mountains mayor Mark Greenhill.
“I support the coalition of former fire chiefs who stated this week that climate change is a factor in these fires.”
Bellingen mayor Dominic King said his community, in an area that does not normally experience fires, is struggling with the new fire risk.
“It’s quite obvious that this is very different from something that we would expect on the Mid North Coast. This is a wet area that has lots of rainforest and we’re seeing them dry out and burn,” he said.
“It’s also quite obvious to anyone who’s been watching the discussion around climate change that this is exactly what the scientists were talking about.”
Deputy prime minister Michael McCormack came under fire this week after he attacked people linking the bushfires to climate change.
“We’ve had fires in Australia since time began, and what people need now is sympathy, understanding, help and shelter … They don’t need the ravings of some pure, enlightened and woke capital city greenies at this time,” he told the ABC.
The full statement from the mayors is:
“The fires this week in Australia have placed hundreds of thousands of people in great danger.
“The catastrophic conditions for these fires were, at least in part, fuelled by climate change.
“13 of the 14 hottest years on record have occurred this century. Last year Queensland experienced catastrophic fire conditions for the first time. This week, Sydney experienced catastrophic fire conditions for the first time.
“Climate change has grave costs for our community that can no longer be ignored. The fires on across Australia this week have caused catastrophic damage.
“In the past week, people have lost their lives, their loved ones, and their homes. Many businesses have lost the ability to operate and trade.
“Our air has been filled with smoke, making it hard to breathe and affecting thousands of people with respiratory issues.
“Fire seasons are now starting earlier and lasting longer. Apart from the stress this takes on first responders and communities, it also results in a shrinking window to carry out hazard reduction burns.
“Now, it is time to honestly and bravely address one of the major causes of these fires, climate change.
“Now we need to significantly increase funding to frontline services.
“Now we need to place the welfare and safety of citizens ahead of profit, and to support those companies offering real solutions
“Some regional towns are already running out of water. How will they survive the next fire?
“Many in the insurance industry are saying that large areas of Australia will be uninsurable.
“This government has the chance to be the first to turn the years of inaction and neglect into action and focus and allow our communities to reap the rewards
“When we have a crisis, it makes sense for us to listen to emergency service professionals
“Now, it makes sense for our federal government to listen to the warnings of those on the frontline.
“We need the government to acknowledge the link between climate change and bushfire, we need more funding for all emergency services, and we need the government to take the action required to prevent megafires.
“Now is not the time for blame. Now is the time for leadership, and keeping all Australians safe.”
This joint statement is signed by:
- Tony Wellington, Mayor Noosa Shire Council
- Simon Richardson, Mayor Byron Shire
- Claire Pontin, Deputy Mayor Mid Coast Council
- Dominic King, Mayor Bellingen Shire Council
- Katie Milne, Mayor Tweed Shire
- Amanda Findlay, Mayor Shoalhaven City Council
- Elly Bird Deputy, Mayor Lismore City Council
- Jerome Laxale, Mayor City of Ryde
- Barry Calvert, Mayor Hawkesbury City Council
- Emma Heyde, Councillor Hornsby Shire Council
- Mark Greenhill, Mayor Blue Mountains City Council
- Nuatali Nelmes, Lord Mayor Newcastle City Council
- Clover Moore, Lord Mayor City of Sydney
