Nick Visser
2026-01-12 02:37:00
Allan says claims of decreased CFA funding ‘just wrong’
Penry Buckley
Looping back now to a point raised earlier, where Jacinta Allan defended the state government’s funding for the Country Fire Authority (CFA), in response to questions about whether CFA funding was reduced last year and volunteer concerns around ageing fire vehicles.
“I have seen these claims that are being made and they’re just wrong … to suggest that there’s been anything other than an increase to the funding to the CFA is just incorrect,” she says.
Allan went on:
We know the importance of replacing the vehicles across the state which is why we have increased the funding, which is why we’re putting more vehicles and equipment in to brigades, CFA brigades, right across the state and we’ll continue to that because we’re increasing the funding and recognising the incredible work that the CFA do every single day.
CFA’s chief officer, Jason Heffernan, said he “can also confirm that the available budget to the CFA this year is some $20m more than it was last year”, and that the organisation is actively removing out-of-date equipment.
CFA have removed quite a number of these appliances that have been spoken about our volunteers. We have over 167 of new trucks in order or in production right now. That’s the commitment we’re trying to make to our volunteers, to ensure that they have the best equipment.
Key events
The prime minister, Anthony Albanese, is speaking now. He’s thanking emergency services for their work surrounding the bushfires in Victoria. We’ll bring you more shortly.
Australian shares climb to highest level of 2026
The local share market has hit its highest level in 2026 following the release of US jobs data that suggested the world’s largest economy is overall in good shape, AAP reports.
The benchmark S&P/ASX200 index was up 0.6% near noon on Monday, while the broader All Ordinaries was up 0.64 %.
The gains came after a positive lead from Wall Street, with the S&P500 closing Friday at an all-time high after labour market data known as non-farm payrolls showed US unemployment declining and wages rising.
While the report pushed back expectations for the next Federal Reserve rate cut from April to June, Interactive Brokers senior economist José Torres said the report had boosted investor confidence in the US economy:
The print signals that labour conditions remain healthy and that the (economic) cycle has legs.
Calla Wahlquist
Firefighters now working to control southern flank of Harcourt Ravenswood fire
Continued from last post:
The fire is still burning in pockets in the area, particularly on the southern side of Mt Alexander, where the fire “moved a bit” on Sunday night, Masters said.
“As we’ve seen over the last couple of days, fire activity starts to increase around 3pm in the afternoon,” he said.
Firefighters are now focusing on building a control line on the southern flank, with large aerial tankers dropping fire retardant on the surrounding forest. They are also backburning, which Masters said would result in an increase in smoke over the next few days.
Don’t be concerned about that, that’s part of our operations.
Masters said the weather forecast was “reasonably kind to us,” but warned that another spike day with dangerous fire conditions was likely.
He also called out the buildings which were saved “as a matter of good luck and work by our firefighters”, which included the primary school, the local mobile phone tower, the petrol station, the general stall, and the football grounds. “The charcoal chicken, which is important, is also safe,” he said.
Calla Wahlquist
Residents of fire-ravaged Harcourt able to return tonight
Residents in the fire-ravaged central Victorian town of Harcourt will be able to return to assess their properties from 6pm tonight, with a plan to allow a permanent return from tomorrow, authorities have said.
Speaking at an online community meeting on Monday, incident controller Michael Masters said the fallen power lines and damaged water supply were the main issues to resolve before residents would be allowed to return.
The fire, which started near Fogartys Gap Road at Ravenswood South around 2.30pm on Friday and burned through more than 3,600 hectares, destroying 46 homes and several key businesses including the Harcourt cool store before burning up Mt Alexander, taking out key telecommunications infrastructure.
Residents were driving around roadblocks to check livestock on the weekend, but Masters said the area remained an active fire zone and it was not yet safe to return:
The risk of people being injured by hazardous trees … is significant, as is the risk to people’s health from things like dust, asbestos dust, sewage that has leaked from the pipes or other things that may present a risk to you.
He also cautioned that returning to a destroyed home could be confronting.
The return to properties after an emergency is always a traumatic event. There is support that is available but I do need to highlight that returning to a property that has been destroyed by fire is a traumatic event so people need to be prepared for that.
Allan says claims of decreased CFA funding ‘just wrong’
Penry Buckley
Looping back now to a point raised earlier, where Jacinta Allan defended the state government’s funding for the Country Fire Authority (CFA), in response to questions about whether CFA funding was reduced last year and volunteer concerns around ageing fire vehicles.
“I have seen these claims that are being made and they’re just wrong … to suggest that there’s been anything other than an increase to the funding to the CFA is just incorrect,” she says.
Allan went on:
We know the importance of replacing the vehicles across the state which is why we have increased the funding, which is why we’re putting more vehicles and equipment in to brigades, CFA brigades, right across the state and we’ll continue to that because we’re increasing the funding and recognising the incredible work that the CFA do every single day.
CFA’s chief officer, Jason Heffernan, said he “can also confirm that the available budget to the CFA this year is some $20m more than it was last year”, and that the organisation is actively removing out-of-date equipment.
CFA have removed quite a number of these appliances that have been spoken about our volunteers. We have over 167 of new trucks in order or in production right now. That’s the commitment we’re trying to make to our volunteers, to ensure that they have the best equipment.
Premier condemns alleged attack on Melbourne imam and his wife
Allan was asked about an alleged attack on an imam and his wife, saying she condemns the attack.
The premier said she spoke to the man and his wife this morning to address the incident. Three people have been arrested by police on Sunday.
Allan said:
It was a terrible, hateful attack and there is no place for Islamophobia, no place for this sort of hate anywhere in Victoria.
I want to say very clearly to the Muslim community, but particularly Muslim women, that I will support your right every single day to live freely in this state, free from hate and also fight for your right to move around our community safely and with dignity. … I will always fight for the right of every community to be safe and free from hate.
Victorian CFA chief warns of further fire danger in January
The chief officer at the Country Fire Authority (CFA), Jason Heffernan, speaks next. He praises the work of emergency services in bringing fires under control, but warns: “We are early in the high-risk weather season.”
This morning I took the opportunity to sit down with the Bureau of Meteorology and have a look at the next couple of weeks in the outlook. I can see that there is likely to be another heating event towards the end of January to the extent that’s yet to be determined, but I guess the indication there is, you know, there’s a lot of fire in the landscape. Much work will be done between now and then to contain these fires but, you know, there is time for Victorians to get ready for the rest of the season, to make the preparations.
Commissioner gives details of structural losses by area
Wiebusch breaks down the structural losses referenced by the premier.
He says about 50 homes and businesses have been lost in the Ravenswood and Harcourt fires. One home and multiple sheds and outbuildings have been lost in the Otways fires. At Natimuk, about 30 structures have been lost.
Wiebusch says the number of structures that have been lost in the Longwood fire remains at 154, with impact teams currently going through and clarifying exactly whether they are homes or other outbuildings.
He says the “most significant update” is around Streatham, where 18 local residential homes are among the structures lost, alongside many agricultural buildings. At the Walwa fire, there are so far only four affected structures, but Wiebusch says the number may grow.
He says there were 10 structures lost in the state’s north in a fire that has now been controlled.
One home and 12 sheds have been lost in the Mt Mercer fire, which has now been contained. At the Dargo complex in Gippsland, emergency services have also confirmed one property loss.
Conditions easing but some fire warnings still in place in Victoria
The Victorian emergency management commissioner, Tim Wiebusch, speaks next.
He says there are three emergency warnings, along with 19 watch and act warnings, still in place in Victoria, calling on residents to continue to check the VicEmergency app.
Wiebusch says conditions are easing but there are 12 major fires across Victoria, with “the slightest of winds … still causing those fires to move around”.
That now includes the two fires in the Otways, being the Kennedy Creek and the Carlisle River. The Longwood fire, as we’ve continued to see, the largest fire footprint in our state. We still have the Walwa Mt Lawson fire as well, Ravenswood and Harcourt are getting close to containment. We still have the fire in the Gippsland valleys as well, along with the two fires and complex of fires that we have brought together under the Snowy Complex. It does include a range of fires in and around the Orbost area and even Mallacoota.
Allan announces further support for bushfire-affected residents, alongside public bushfire appeal
The Victorian premier has announced further support for bushfire-affected residents. It includes emergency assistance payments of up to $52,250 available to eligible uninsured households so they can re-establish their principal place of residence.
It also includes access to mental health and wellbeing support through an expansion of existing programs in place for primary producers and farming communities. Allan says:
It’s in recognition that alongside the physical rebuilding, there’s a lot of trauma, a lot of impact, that we also need to support people individually with the trauma that has been experienced but also families and communities as well.
Finally, Allan announces the opening of a Victorian bushfire appeal, calling for public donations to support affected communities.
Donations will be able to start being made tomorrow online and I do encourage people who are looking at a way of providing support, the best way to provide that support is through this appeal. Every dollar raised through this appeal will go back into providing support for fire-affected communities.
Allan offers condolences to family of fire victim and says more than 350 structures lost
Allan goes on to say there have been at least 350 structural losses in the state. She also says she wants to “pause for a moment and acknowledge the loss of life at the Longwood fire”.
A member of that local community, who was part of that local community, has lost their life as a result of the fires, that huge and ongoing fire around Longwood. And my thoughts and condolences are with that person’s family, their loved broader community too, and indeed as we were talking [about it] yesterday, everyone across the emergency services and fire-affected communities felt that loss when we heard the news yesterday afternoon, that someone had been lost to the fires.
It’s a devastating impact and it’s a devastating reminder of the tragedy that fire can bring to any community, to any household, to any doorstep, particularly on those difficult, catastrophic and extreme weather days.
Jacinta Allan acknowledges ‘catastrophic day’ in western Victorian town
The Victorian premier, Jacinta Allan, is now addressing media in Natimuk alongside emergency services officials. Allan begins by acknowledging the devastating impact the weekend’s fires have had on the western Victorian town. She says:
When the fires started here on Friday afternoon it was in the midst of a catastrophic day. The heat was fierce and the winds were incredibly strong. And the fire took off in the grasslands and the consequence of that fire is that we have seen the fire come through the Natimuk community, but also across the broader district as well that has been hit. That’s because there were many thousands, more than 8,000 hectares of land have been burnt out as a result of this fire. The fact it wasn’t more was because of incredible work of not just the Natimuk CFA but the brigades across the district.
The Golden Globes begin – follow our live coverage
Sian Cain
The Golden Globes are kicking off now. If you are following along at home (reminder: you can watch live on Paramount+ or follow our liveblog), there are a few Australian nominees to get behind this year.
Jacob Elordi is nominated for best supporting actor for Frankenstein AND best actor in a limited series for The Narrow Road to the Deep North.
Joel Edgerton is nominated for best actor in a drama for Train Dreams.
Rose Byrne is nominated for best actress in a musical or comedy for If I Had Legs, I’d Kick You.
Sarah Snook is nominated for best actress in a limited series in All Her Fault.
Nick Cave is nominated for best original song with Bryce Dessner for their song Train Dreams, from the film Train Dreams.
Follow our liveblog here: