ScoMo Wants To Spend Millions On A Royal Commission Instead Of Listening To Climate Experts

Tired of being accused of doing nothing in our bushfire crisis, Scott Morrison has decided to hold a royal commission — which would be our 58th inquiry into bushfires in the last 80 years.

Considering we still haven’t implemented some of the recommendations from the first one in 1939, people are wondering if adding one more to the mix is really necessary. Yesterday in parliament, Morrison said those who have died in the crisis are owed a royal commission so lessons can be learnt.

We owe it to those we have lost, we owe it to those who have fought these fires, we owe it to our children and to the land itself to learn from the lessons that are necessary.

— Scott Morrison (@ScottMorrisonMP) February 4, 2020

In essence a royal commission is a huge investigation with coercive powers beyond that of the government, but they often cost millions of dollars and take months, if not years.

It’s also restricted by its terms of reference.

For this reason governments are usually very careful when drafting these terms of reference, and Morrison has already written to state and territory leaders seeking their approval on his draft terms.

ScoMo wants the probe to look into when the federal government is able to step in during natural disasters. Of course, you’ll remember that was one of the excuses he used when he was caught holidaying in Hawaii — that the fires were a problem for the states to handle.

Morrison also wants the royal commission to look into how prepared the states are with measures like hazard reduction burns and land clearing.

Again, climate change deniers have been peddling the idea that fire risks could have been reduced by more hazard reduction burns. Never mind that fire experts have consistently told us they haven’t been able to do that because changing conditions have made it too dangerous.

Wouldn’t it be good if politicians just listened to experts and did their fucking jobs so we wouldn’t have to keep wasting millions on royal commissions, just so they can ignore the outcome when it doesn’t suit their narrow minded ideological views. #auspol #ScottyfromMarketing

— ?Jai Ritter ???? (@Rockdad831) February 4, 2020

A royal commission is just kicking the can down the road, a complete waste of time and money when time is precious.

— ?Captain Thin (@Firemonkey991) January 13, 2020

Scott Morrison says the royal commission would be done by the end of August, and will also look into the recommendations of all previous inquiries.

But some are concerned about how effective an investigation like this would be, considering the proposed terms of reference as well as the government doesn’t have a track record of acting on climate change evidence.

And then they ingnore any findings in a Royal Commission because it doesn’t suit them politically. Although setting up a narrow terms of reference means they should be able to avoid a certain amount of flak.

— Julie Blake (@drjulieb1) January 12, 2020

What an incredible waste of time and money a royal commission would be. We already know what the problem is. Science has been predicting this for years. This is just an attempt to delay action for as long as pos. I’m sure the IPA and Minerals Council of Australia are delighted.

— Arvind Hickman (@ArvindHickman) January 12, 2020

Maybe listening to the experts, giving proper funding to the emergency services, not turning your back on the country, NOT playing cricket, not refusing help from other countries…. the list goes on….

— Rachael Rendle ??? #Mnáwesome (@RendleRachael) February 4, 2020

More than anything you owe it to all Australians to support the declaration of a climate emergency in parliament but @ScottMorrisonMP you won’t do it because you are only about spin, propaganda and deceit.

— Ozbloke (@Ozbloke27) February 4, 2020

The last royal commission we had into a bushfire was in 2009 after the Black Saturday fires in Victoria. It ran for about 18 months and had a $40 million budget.