Australia declared a state of national emergency on Wednesday March 9 to deal with the floods which ravaged the east coast of the country and which killed at least 21 people.
“Australia is becoming a country where it is increasingly difficult to live because of these natural disasters”Prime Minister Scott Morrison said following visiting the disaster-hit Northern Rivers region of New South Wales.
The inhabitants of this region, deprived of electricity and Internet access for several days, blame the authorities for the slowness of the relief operations. The declaration of a state of emergency, which was also put in place during the vast fires that affected the country in 2019, makes it possible to reduce red tape and speed up aid to victims.
Flood mitigation measures
The government has already paid 385 million Australian dollars (257 million euros) to flood victims nationwide. Mr Morrison said aid would be increased in and around Lismore, one of the hardest hit towns, to provide food and shelter, mental health support and legal and commercial.
The prime minister, trailing in the polls as legislative elections approach in May, has kept the media away from his meetings with flood victims in order, he says, to protect their privacy.
Speaking to reporters, the Tory leader made the link between flooding and climate change, which he also believed to be the cause of recent fires, while pointing to the responsibility of other countries in reducing carbon emissions. Mr Morrison said flood mitigation measures would save lives, rather than tougher restrictions on Australia’s polluting emissions.
The country has committed to a goal of net zero carbon emissions by 2050, but environmental activists are advocating for more aggressive measures.
