Premier Anthony Albanese has sparked outrage after echoing Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan’s stark description of people defying a total fire ban.
As devastating bushfires continue to ravage western Victoria’s Grampians National Park, Albanese held a press conference with Allan on Sunday in which he endorsed a tweet she sent warning people not to light fires with a total ban in place.
“I saw a tweet, it has to be said, from another prominent figure just to my right who used an appropriate ‘don’t be silly’ term,” Mr Albanese said as Ms Allan could be heard laughing next to his shoulder.
‘Help your fellow Victorians and Australians. Common sense has to be applied here and one gets the impression that people are not heeding the warnings.’
Albanese was referencing a tweet sent by Allan on Boxing Day.
“The message couldn’t be clearer: today is a total fire ban day across Victoria,” Allan wrote on X.
‘Don’t be an idiot. No need to light fires.
Several Australians took issue with the wording used by Allan and their fury was reignited on social media platform X after Albanese defended her.
Businessman and prominent Liberal member Matthew Camenzuli did not mince his words.
Premier Anthony Albanese has sparked outrage after echoing Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan’s stark description of people defying a total fire ban.
“This is disgusting,” he tweeted.
‘This man is supposed to be the Prime Minister of Australia. He is not in a position to speak ill of anyone. I would like MPs to have mandatory IQ tests.
“That also applies to your friend the Victorian Prime Minister.”
“Shows how inarticulate he and his state’s premier really are,” one social media user responded.
‘If they talk to us like that in public, I wonder how they refer to us behind closed doors.’
‘Appropriate language for a prime minister and a prime minister unfit for office. They’re both stupid,” another X user wrote.
“The insufferable village idiot needs to take his own advice (“Don’t be an idiot”),” another commenter said.
‘When will this clown disappear?’
Albanese was referring to a tweet sent by Allan on Boxing Day
As devastating bushfires continue to ravage western Victoria’s Grampians National Park, Albanese held a press conference with Allan on Sunday in which he endorsed a tweet she sent warning people not to light fires with a total ban in place.
Some thought the term was appropriate.
“Here, brother, saving lives is more important than worrying about ‘language,'” one wrote.
“I despise that guy, but I agree with him on this.”
Large bushfires continue to burn out of control in Victoria, although cooler and more stable conditions in the Grampians have allowed emergency crews to begin initial impact assessments.
In At least three houses and almost a dozen outbuildings have been destroyed by the gigantic fire.
Despite the colder conditions, a Watch and Act message was issued on Saturday night for the area on the eastern side of the Grampians National Park from Moyston to Bornes Hill, including Mafeking, Watgania and Maroona.
A Watch and Act alert also remains in place for Halls Gap and Pomonal, while residents from Long Gully Road to College Road, east of Mt William, have been told it is not yet safe to return following an evacuation order former.
On Sunday the fire had a perimeter of more than 380 kilometers and has burned more than 75,000 hectares
It is expected to last into the new year due to dry conditions and difficult, mountainous terrain.
Emergency Management Commissioner Rick Nugent said next week would bring more favorable conditions for fire crews.
“The weather over the next week looks relatively stable,” he said in a statement Saturday afternoon.
“This will give us time to stabilize the fires and continue suppression operations, and we will look to further support the community.”