News from Australia and across Oceania

[AlbertC]

Coal stokes Aussie bushfire rage | DW | 10.01.2020

Protests grow against Australia’s handling of the bushfire crisis. Leaders refuse to reverse their climate policies. DW’s Ben Fajzullin says politicians are blinded — not by a spreading red haze, but mining fortunes.

m.dw.com

Australia: Bushfire crisis triggers mass protests – DW – 01/10/2020

Thousands of protesters have blocked the main streets of major cities across the country. Climate scientists have warned the frequency and intensity of bushfires will worsen as Australia becomes hotter and drier.

m.dw.com

 

[tiffer24]

Australia urged nearly a quarter of a million people to evacuate their homes on Friday and prepared military backup as authorities said the next few hours could be "very, very challenging" even as rain poured down in some parts.

Authorities sent emergency texts to 240,000 people in Victoria, telling them to leave. People in high-risk regions in New South Wales (NSW) and South Australia were also urged to think about leaving, but officials did not say how many.

Since October, 27 people have been killed and thousands subjected to repeat evacuations as huge and unpredictable fires scorched more than 103,000 square kilometres of land, an area roughly twice the size of Nova Scotia.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/australia-urges-quarter-of-a-million-flee-huge-bushfires-1.5421851

 

[AlbertC]

Australian bushfires: The canary building the coal mine

The world's biggest exporter of coal is engulfed in flames and Aussies are taking to the streets demanding action. Could this summer be the turning point for a notorious climate offender?

Australian bushfires: The canary building the coal mine – DW – 01/10/2020

The world's biggest exporter of coal is engulfed in flames and Aussies are taking to the streets demanding action. Could this summer be the turning point for a notorious climate offender?

m.dw.com

 

[AlbertC]

Emergency payments for people affected by Australia's bushfires 'seriously inadequate'

Acoss calls on government to boost the Disaster Recovery Payment after fires destroy more than 2,000 homes

Sarah Martin Chief political correspondent
Sun 12 Jan 2020 16.30 GMT

Emergency payments for people affected by Australia's bushfires 'seriously inadequate'

Acoss calls on government to boost the Disaster Recovery Payment after fires destroy more than 2,000 homes

www.theguardian.com

 

[SunriseChampion]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1212883588938633216

Goderich....noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo ?

and....and.....Grand Bend?! I hate you Scott Morrison.

 

[SunriseChampion]

Don't mean to sound like a dick with no heart but this is what the Aussies get for insisting on burning and exporting shitloads of coal whilst their Pacific island nation neighbours are at risk of drowning.

Fair dinkum!

 

[AlbertC]

'It's heart-wrenching': 80% of Blue Mountains and 50% of Gondwana rainforests burn in bushfires

Guardian Australia analysis reveals the frightening amount of world heritage area burned in Australia’s ongoing fire crisis

Lisa Cox and Nick Evershed
Thu 16 Jan 2020 16.30 GMT

'It's heart-wrenching': 80% of Blue Mountains and 50% of Gondwana rainforests burn in bushfires

Guardian Australia analysis reveals the frightening amount of world heritage area burned in Australia’s ongoing fire crisis

www.theguardian.com

 

[AlbertC]

'They have to adapt': top scientist says Australian Open should consider moving

By Peter Hannam
January 19, 2020 — 7.16pm

A senior CSIRO climate scientist says organisers of the Australian Open need to consider moving the tournament to a cooler season to avoid exposing tennis players to increasingly hot summers.

David Karoly, a climate scientist who heads the CSIRO-based Earth Systems and Climate Change Hub, said many parts of Australia were already experiencing more summer days exceeding temperatures unhealthy for professional or amateur sport.

'They have to adapt': top scientist says Australian Open should consider moving

Craig Tiley, the Australian Open tournament director, said “several years ago, there was some public debate about moving the [Open] to March - the beginning of autumn".

www.smh.com.au

 

[AlbertC]

More than 100 threatened species hit hard by Australian bushfires, pushing many towards extinction

Nearly 50 threatened species believed to have had more than 80% of their area affected, including seven critically endangered plants

Adam Morton Environment editor
Mon 20 Jan 2020 01.15 GMT

More than 100 threatened species hit hard by Australian bushfires, pushing many towards extinction

Nearly 50 threatened species believed to have had more than 80% of their area affected, including seven critically endangered plants

www.theguardian.com

 

[AlbertC]

All sectors of New Zealand housing market 'severely' unaffordable: survey

The housing crisis, which Labour government pledged to address, has spread to the provinces

Eleanor Ainge Roy in Dunedin
Mon 20 Jan 2020 01.27 GMT

All sectors of New Zealand housing market 'severely' unaffordable: survey

The housing crisis, which Labour government pledged to address, has spread to the provinces

www.theguardian.com

 

[AlbertC]

Bushfires, ash rain, dust storms and flash floods: two weeks in apocalyptic Australia

As the country lurches painfully from one extreme weather to another, residents are fearful of what they will face next

by Kate Lyons in Sydney

Bushfires, ash rain, dust storms and flash floods: two weeks in apocalyptic Australia

As the country lurches painfully from one extreme weather to another, residents are fearful of what they will face next

www.theguardian.com

 

[tayser]

Long-ish read on shifting population (and electoral) dynamics in Australia

Melbourne is set to become the country’s most populous city by 2026 – with vast ramifications
The rise of the Victorian capital is shaping up to be the social and economic story of the 21st century, forcing us to change the way we think of ourselves as Australians.
By George Megalogenis

Melbourne is set to become the country’s most populous city by 2026 – with vast ramifications

The rise of the Victorian capital is shaping up to be the social and economic story of the 21st century, forcing us to change the way we think of ourselves as Australians.

www.theage.com.au

 

[AlbertC]

Australia fires: State of emergency declared for Canberra region

Authorities in the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) have declared a state of emergency as massive bushfires rage south of Canberra.

It is the worst fire threat to the territory in nearly two decades, officials said.

The main blaze, in the territory's south, is burning over more than 18,500 hectares.

Australia fires: State of emergency declared for Canberra region

Huge bushfires are raging near Canberra in the worst threat to the region since 2003, officials say.

www.bbc.com

 

[AlbertC]

Australia fires: bushfires menace homes and lives – and firefighters warn winds will create new threats

Embers flare into an out-of-control blaze on ‘another difficult day’ in NSW and in the country around Canberra

• Terror on all sides: inside a firestorm tearing through the Australian bush

Australian Associated Press
Sat 1 Feb 2020 11.44 GMT

Australia fires: bushfires menace homes and lives – and firefighters warn winds will create new threats

Embers flare into an out-of-control blaze on ‘another difficult day’ in NSW and in the country around Canberra

www.theguardian.com

 

[AlbertC]

Counting the cost of the bushfires: Australia's summer of dread

Australia’s catastrophic bushfire season has taken 33 lives, destroyed thousands of homes and devastated the country’s unique wildlife. Guardian Australia surveys the damage

www.theguardian.com