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Anthony Albanese has warned extreme weather events such as the New South Wales floods are becoming more frequent and intense in Australia, after three days of devastating rain and winds have so farleft four people deadand at least one person still missing.
“You are not alone,” was the message from the prime minister on Friday, as he travelled up to Maitland from Canberra to better grasp the scale of the massive flooding and the required emergency response.
“Tragically, we’re seeing more extreme weather events. They’re occurring more frequently, and they’re more intense,” Albanese said.
An Australian defence force helicopter had been involved in more than a dozen rescues. More ADF personnel would be deployed if required, Albanese said.
Heavy rainfall across Sydney meanwhilecaused chaos on roads and railways, as transport authorities urged festival goersto avoid the opening of Vivid festivalon Friday night and instead attend “early next week”. Andsevere weather warningsremained in place for southern NSW as the system moved towards the Victorian border.
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“There are bigger issues facing rural and regional Australians than the makeup of the Coalition.”
The Nationals MP Darren Chesteracknowledged it was “frustrating”for the opposition to be bickering among themselves as regional and rural areas battle floods and droughts – hours before an in-principle policy deal with the Liberals was revealed on Friday afternoon.
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