Bushfires in Australia to become more intense, warns Labor Party leader

Australian lawmaker Anthony Albanese while speaking in the Blue Mountains warned that Australia cannot treat the unprecedented bushfires business as usual. In his speech, he went on to say that the fire season will become longer and more intense with passing time, exacerbated by the forces of climate change. 

Telling truth will bring Australia closer

The lawmaker elaborated that they have had expert warnings for days, months and even decades. The Labour Party leader then suggested a way forward in the issue of reconciliation arguing that ingenious voices and process of truth-telling would bring Australia closer together as a nation. He further described January 26 as an opportunity to acknowledge the past especially those who suffered losses when the first fleet of British arrived on the island in 1788.

In his speech, Albanese also said, “We cannot pretend our history began on this day in 1788. We cannot deny the trauma that accompanied the birth of modern Australia. But a voice and truth-telling would take us farther from that and bring us closer together as a nation.”

Earlier, Australian PM Scott Morrison announced that fire, police, ambulance and emergency services, volunteers and workers, defence personnel, reservists and oversees personnel would also be eligible to receive the national emergency medal for their service in the 2019-20 fires. The medal had previously been awarded to 15,000 recipients for their services in Victor’s Black Satudta’s bushfires in 2009, the Queensland floods in 2010-11 and the Cyclone Yasi in 2011.

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On January 26, at the National flag raising and citizenship ceremony in Canberra, PM Morrisson said that Australia was the best place on the earth adding that it was a fundamental part of national character to be hopeful even in difficult times. He also said that Australia’s national identity wasn’t marked by negative remarks and exclusive tribalism.

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