Eric Kerr, National University of Singapore and Malini Sur, Western Sydney University
When a bushfire burns is one country, smoke drift means it can become the world’s problem. But the law lacks the teeth to hold those responsible to account.
There is a real risk a national inquiry could get bogged down in politics, or not lead to real change. But we need more federal action on bushfires. Our old approaches are broken.
Australia’s rural firefighting organisations hold a special place in the nation’s heart. Part of what makes them so interesting is how they are organised and funded.
To be clear, I’m not advocating compulsory population control, here or anywhere. But we do need to consider a future with billions more people, many of them aspiring to live as Australians do now.
One problem with the Australian Curriculum bushfire content statements is that they are relatively abstract and detached from children’s lived experiences.
The destruction of recent fires is challenging our belief that with enough time, love and money, every threatened species can be saved. But there is plenty we can, and must, now do.
Rachael Jacobs, Western Sydney University and Carol Mutch, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau
Some students are grieving the loss of their homes or loved ones. Even those not directly affected by fires may be distressed by stories they’ve heard or images they’ve seen. How can schools help?
It’s been a deadly summer for Australia’s wildlife. But beyond the fires, we need to act now to protect bats – which make up a quarter of Australian mammal species – from a silent overseas killer.
While the bushfire crisis might provoke a sense of urgency to rebuild, we need to stop and properly plan where and how we construct buildings and open spaces.
There have been scores of scams reported in Australia since the bushfires started in September. This is why fraudsters take advantage of those in need.
Emergency service workers already have poorer mental health than the rest of us. In the wake of this bushfire crisis, we need to make the well-being of our first responders a top priority.
Many of the recommendations of previous inquiries and reviews have yet to be implemented. What we need is a better fire and land management strategy – not another royal commission.