Prime minister seen picking up woman’s hand and shaking it before quickly leaving when she says ‘we need help’ and onlookers shout abuse

This article is more than 8 months old

This article is more than 8 months old

Scott Morrison was forced to abandon a meet-and-greet in a bushfire-ravaged NSW town after being confronted by angry local residents.

The prime minister on Thursday visited the Bega Valley township of Cobargo, which was engulfed by flames on Tuesday morning.

Some political leaders find their natural authority in a crisis – not Scott Morrison | Katharine Murphy Read more

Three people died and others lost homes, businesses, livestock and pasture when the fire hit the community.

“How are you?”Morrison asked, as he approaches one woman who has her hands by her side. He then reaches out and takes her hand and starts shaking it.

Brendan Bradford (@1bbradfo) Scott Morrison forcing this woman to shake his hand, then ignoring her and walking away when she tells him she doesn’t want a handshake unless he gives more funding to the RFS, is fucking disgusting - even by his low standards. #bushfiresAustralia #auspol pic.twitter.com/LX6agg3S7G

The woman, who appears reluctant, says: “I’m only shaking your hand if you give more funding to our RFS [Rural Fire Service].”

“So many people have lost their homes.”

Another man tried to prevent the woman from confronting Morrison further, the footage from the Nine Network shows.

“We need more help,” she said, as Morrison walked away.

A group of residents later yelled at the prime minister.

“You won’t be getting any votes down here buddy. You’re an idiot.”

“Go on, piss off.”

“You’re not welcome.”

Facebook Twitter Pinterest The Princes Hwy, Cobargo, before and after the New Year’s Eve bushfires. Composite: Google Maps/Twitter

One woman, leading a goat, said Mr Morrison controlled the funding and her community had been forgotten.

“This is not fair. We are totally forgotten down here,” she said,

“Every single time this area gets a flood or a fire we get nothing.

“If we lived in Sydney or on the North Coast we would be flooded with donations and emergency relief.”

Further footage showed the prime minister approaching a firefighter and offering his hand, which is not accepted.

“I don’t really want to shake your hand,” the firefighter says. Morrison then awkwardly picks up the man’s left hand, before both walk away without directly exchanging words.

Sophie McNeill (@Sophiemcneill) Gosh this is so awkward. Australian PM Scott Morrison goes to try and shake the hand of a firefighter who does not appear keen. (The PM was abused earlier by angry locals) Filmed by @GregNelsonACS @abcnews #AustraliaBurning #NSWbushfires #SouthCoastFires pic.twitter.com/3zjeJp3jWe

In a later clip Morrison asks the deputy incident controller on the scene to tell the firefighter he is sorry, saying he is sure the man was very tired.

The controller replies to say the firefighter had lost his own house in the bushfires.

Siobhan Heanue (@siobhanheanue) Shortly after the non-handshake:

PM: “Tell that fella I’m really sorry, I’m sure he’s just tired.”

Local incident controller: “No no, he lost a house.”#AustraliaBurning #ausfires #nswfires pic.twitter.com/9PodUTCf9z

Morrison and the natural disasters minister, David Littleproud, soon left the area.

Littleproud announced shortly afterwards that disaster relief payments would be open for bushfires survivors in the Bega Valley.

Mothers, daughters, fathers, sons: the victims of the Australian bushfires Read more

Payments of $1,000 per adult and $400 per child can be claimed through the Department of Human Services.

“This is for people whose home has been severely damaged or destroyed, who’ve been seriously injured or who’ve lost a family member,” the minister said.

“This will help to cover the immediate needs of those worst hit, and help them get through the coming days.”

Earlier on Thursday, Morrison defended his government’s response to the crisis saying he wouldn’t allow state and federal governments “to be tripping over each other in order to somehow outbid each other in the response”.

“What is needed is the coordinated response that these agencies planned for in circumstances like this,” he told reporters in Sydney.

“I understand the frustration, I understand the anxiety. I understand the fear but what I also understand is the need to allow the professionals and the experts ... to do their job.”

At the May 2019 election, Labor’s Mike Kelly retained the marginal seat of Eden-Monaro, which includes Cobargo.



Almost half of Cobargo locals’ primary votes went to Kelly, 33% went to Liberal candidate Fiona Kotvojs and 14% went to the Greens.