The prime minister, Scott Morrison, has thanked firefighters and volunteers in his Christmas message to the country, after a “difficult” year of floods, drought and the ongoing bushfire crisis.
Appearing in a video message with his wife Jenny, Morrison said he and his family knew it would be “a really difficult Christmas for so many Australians”.
“From the floods up in north Queensland earlier this year to the drought that continues to ravage the country for years now, and of course the bushfires which have been raging since September … despite all of these great challenges Australians have stood up,” Morrison said.
The prime minister gave his thanks to “all of those who serve our nation”, including volunteer firefighters, surf lifeguards and members of the defence force.
He also paid tribute to the two New South Wales Rural Fire Service firefighters who died last Thursday while on duty at the Green Wattle Creek fire.
“We think especially of the families of Andrew O’Dwyer and Geoff Keaton who we lost in the fires recently here in NSW,” he said. “We know this is going to be a tough Christmas for you, the first Christmas without those two amazing men, and to all those at the Horsley Park brigade we send our great love and best wishes to you. They are a reminder of why this country is amazing.”
In his message, the Labor leader, Anthony Albanese, also paid tribute to firefighters, and said that while Christmas was a time to celebrate, it could also be a difficult time for some.
“We think particularly of those people in the community who have been fighting bushfires,” Albanese said. “We think of those empty seats at tables where people have lost loved ones.
“This is the greatest country on Earth. And the thing that makes it the greatest country on Earth is our people. Our people are resilient. Our people are courageous. Our people are committed to each other and to their local communities.
“So, at this time in particular, a huge shout-out to those people who fought fires and done themselves, their community and our entire nation a great deal of pride.”
Nationals MP and former deputy prime minister Barnaby Joyce posted a less conventional, unofficial Christmas video message to Twitter, sounding off on climate change and government intervention while feeding cattle against a drought-stricken backdrop.
“You don’t have to convince me that the climate is not changing, it is changing … my problem’s always been whether you believe a new tax is going to change it back.”
In the tweet, labelled simply ‘Merry Christmas’, Joyce also said that a “higher authority … right up there in the sky” needed to be respected or “we’re going to get nailed”.
Merry Christmas pic.twitter.com/QGYPv51pTN
— Barnaby Joyce (@Barnaby_Joyce) December 24, 2019
Morrison also mentioned the homeless and those who worked with charities in his speech.
“To those who will be serving on Christmas Day, whether it’s the homeless, or the many charitable acts that they have been engaged in, we say ‘thank you’ to you to, because we know it’s not just on Christmas Day but this is a passion of yours, and something you do each and every day over the course of the year.
“We are an amazing country, we are an amazing people, and 2020 is going to be another year in which we demonstrate why this is the best country in the world in which to live.”
