Bushfire victim's brutal messages to ScoMo scrawled on destroyed home
A man who lost his home in a ferocious NSW bushfire has taken a powerful swipe at Prime Minister Scott Morrison by using “smouldering wreckage” as a billboard for some poignant messages.
Stu Mackay’s family home was destroyed in fires at Nymboida, in the NSW Northern Rivers region, on November 9 – a tragedy he believed could have been avoided if firefighters were better funded.
In a series of messages spray-painted in red across singed pieces of corrugated iron, Mr Mackay targeted Mr Morrison and in one instance referred to a tweet he issued the same day his house was burnt to the ground.
“If only I’d prayed more,” one message read, which appeared to relate to one of Mr Morrison’s tweets on November 9, saying: “Our thoughts and prayers are with those who have been so directly and horribly impacted by these fires.”
“Thoughts and prayers vs action,” another of Ms Mackay’s messages read, with one also saying: “Our homes vs your surplus.”
Mr Mackay also made a statement calling on more Rural Fire Service planes to be made available to firefighters, arguing the federal government should have been better prepared.
The bushfire victim drove home his point by adding: “My pollies burnt my house down.”
“Quiet Aussies lead to homes on fire,” another of his painted messages said.
Other messages also stated he was a “noisy Australian [and] proud of it” and “No climate catastrophe? Shame ScoMo”.
A GoFundMe account has been established to aid in the family’s rebuild of their home.
More than 50 bushfires are still burning across NSW, with widespread very-high fire danger and hazy Sydney conditions set to stay.
Greater Sydney is at "high" fire danger but is also grappling with heavy smoke blanketing the city from the nearby Gospers Mountain fire in the Hawkesbury, which has burned through more than 170,000 hectares.
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The RFS announced on Thursday 612 homes had so far been lost in the state's bushfires, including 530 in the past fortnight alone.
The fires have also claimed six lives this bushfire season.
A total of 55 fires were burning at 9am (local time) on Friday around NSW, with 26 uncontained and hundreds of firefighters still in the field.
The NSW government, meanwhile, has announced bushfire victims who have lost important identity documents can have them replaced for free.
Those needing a new driver's licence could obtain interim licences on the spot.
"Anyone who has lost paperwork such as a birth certificate or marriage certificate can apply to have them replaced at no cost as a priority," NSW Attorney-General Mark Speakman said in a statement.
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