To ask you to pray for the thousands of people trapped on a beach by fires in Victoria?

[TheClaws]

There are 4000 people from the town of Mallacoota, Victoria, Australia, that is currently being destroyed by fire. They most likely won’t have homes to return to. They all have life jackets on ready to take shelter in the water as embers rain down upon them. Fire personnel have just - as I post - told them to get in the water. Can you imagine how they must feel?

Australia at the moment is burning across 4 states. Where I am it is 45c and the smell of smoke is heavy. It is a terrible summer for us.

@JassyRadlett I thought exactly the same thing upon seeing that ad.

Releasing that ad on one of the most catastrophic fire days was so tone deaf, it's actually hilarious. Tool.

Every time I see his smirking face, I remember the week that he stabbed Turnbull in the back. Does anyone else remember the media conference he gave with Turnbull, slapping him on the back saying "this is my leader here" and the whole time he was plotting to oust him?

How would Turnbull have handled this?

The cost on Kangaroo Island is high

twitter.com/lucethoughts/status/1213623982890483712?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1213623982890483712&ref_url=http%3A%2F%2Flivenews.abc.net.au%2FEvent%2FNSW_and_Victoria_communities_assess_damage_from_rampant_bushfires

Lucy Carter
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Just spoke to Kangaroo Island Wildlife Park. They estimate that at least half the island's koalas have died, many many more horrifically injured. The island's koalas were Australia's 'insurance population' as they were not affected by chlamydia. #AustraliaBurns #AustraliaFires

I think Turnball was better with reading the tone and situation. He (and all of our politicians) does bear responsibility for this. But I suspect in the thick of it he would have been better. Turnball (and Bishop) were mildly "popular", they were not nice and still conservatives but most people I know viewed them as pretty smart and generally "acceptable".

I am just flabberghasted at how poorly this has been managed by the Liberal Party. Just astonished that they have been so fucking stupid.

We have no leadership, Smoko sucks but I honestly cannot imagine who from the current crop of inept morons would be better.

If you want to burn thoughts and prayers, just pray that we don't end up with Peter Dutton as Prime Minister. That would be a horror too far.

I bet Turnball and Bishop have shared a couple of moments watching this farce! If it wasn't so tragic it would be hysterical.

What I don't appreciate is the lack of financial support from the government . We have been bombarded on the radio and during the election campaign about the financial surplus Australia has. We don't have a deficit but a positive surplus - easy when you cut funding to free schools and social assistance and DECLINE to increase fire-fighting aircrafts! as they did when requested- so there is money and why are they silent while people and stars all over the world are sending money to those who lost everything, the house, the business, and sometimes a husband or father.

www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/victoria-bushfires-the-unenviable-choices-made-by-those-who-stayed-behind-20200105-p53p0n.html

This article looks at another side.... there are those for whom it is not so simple to evacuate.

Article titled "Government rejected major air-tanker expansion"

www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/government-rejected-major-air-tanker-expansion-20200103-p53onl.html

and I am posting a link to this just because it is a feel good story and we need them. (Although I simply cannot belioeve how frightening that all must have been).

www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/two-great-danes-a-cat-quartet-and-a-couple-ride-out-fire-in-shipping-container-20200105-p53owx.html

when I say 'feel good' i mean comparatively to all the horror. It is not all that feel good. IYKWIM.

www.theshovel.com.au/2020/01/03/scomo-declares-empathy-training-a-success-after-totally-nailing-meet-and-greet/

Yep... more taxpayer’s money down the fucking toilet

@DuchessDumbarton Thank you for your message. I can’t seem to be able to respond to messages on my platform, for whatever reason. I’m very grateful for your thoughts and the donation. It will be absolutely very needed.

Canberra, Australia’s capital, is basically closed fo business today (Monday) due to hazardous air quality. Currently, it has the poorest air quality in the world, and is enveloped in an eerie deep orange haze.

www.canberratimes.com.au/story/6566337/canberra-shuts-down-as-smoke-smothers-city/

We had some rain today! Just a tad, but we haven’t seen any in months. It was so glorious to hear.

So glad about the rain!!!! 🙏

I've donated to Celeste's fundraiser. I don't understand why the rest of the world isn't helping more 🤷‍♀️

Very nasty hot and windy day today. Really dangerous conditions.

Still lurking and thinking of you Aussies.

Yep, still lurking here and on Twitter too. Hope the rest of the summer there isn't too bad.

Today is a nasty day. Bunkering down somewhat. Hopefully nothing will start up. Even though we had some rain, it dried up quickly and didn’t soak in where it was needed. Our tanks are still near empty and the dams nearby are still dried up. (We live next to pastures stocked with cows/sheep/horses.)

Hope you get through the day unscathed, Claws

claws

It was 48.9 in Sydney today

Thinking of you all. 😔

Weirdly, as soon as I clicked on this thread I could smell the fires though my open front door. A fierce wind has kicked up where I am (nowhere near the fires) and haze from the fires has hung around.

A woman in my suburb has put up a list of items they want, to be taken to a centre for distribution. At last I've found a use for all the garden hose my late DH picked up off nature strips as "could be useful". It's more than "useful" now. Top of the list of stuff wanted.

Hope all is well with you, Claws

oh my goodness, it looks like it will be another horrific weekend

please stay safe all of you MNers affected by fires

Raining well where I am, though BOM is showing bugger-all for the most affected areas. ⛈