'He didn't listen': Aussie tennis legend blasts Scott Morrison in live TV takedown
Aussie tennis legend Pat Cash has slammed Prime Minister Scott Morrison in a scathing rant on British television.
In an interview with Good Morning Britain on Monday, Cash unloaded over Morrison’s handling of the bushfire crisis.
‘INCREDIBLE’: Shane Warne's staggering bushfire donation stuns cricket world
The 1987 Wimbledon champion said Morrison was too slow to react to the situation and claimed the PM failed to heed warnings prior to the devastating destruction that has engulfed the country.
“It’s unprecedented — there’s no doubt this involves climate (change),” Cash told host Piers Morgan, who also blasted Morrison over his infamous trip to Hawaii during the crisis.
“There’s lives being lost, there’s no one that hasn’t been touched in Australia.
“There’s been a very, very slow reaction from the Prime Minister. Unfortunately, he didn’t listen to the fire chiefs.
“Six months ago, 20 of the ex-fire chiefs got together and wrote a letter and wanted to sit down with the Prime Minister warning exactly that this was going to happen.
“(They said) ‘We’re inadequately equipped, we need to do something, we need to be ready for the disaster, it’s imminent’, and sure enough it is.
“He’s failed the firefighters — he’d been warned. They need more.”
The world is wishing all Australians well, I did my best to explain #goodmorningbritain before I head home for a hot summer of tennis. https://t.co/x6gXn1p3gc
— Pat Cash (@TheRealPatCash) January 6, 2020
It was previously revealed that a number of former fire and emergency leaders had tried to meet with Morrison about the impending threat of the fire season, but a meeting never eventuated.
“We have tried since April to get a meeting with the Prime Minister,” Former NSW Fire and Rescue chief Greg Mullins told ABC Radio at the time.
“Had we spoken back in April, one of the things we would’ve said is to try to get more aircraft on lease from the northern hemisphere because (we knew) this was going to be a horror fire season. They can be a decisive weapon.
“If they (the government) had spoken to us back then, maybe they could have allocated more money to have more of those aircraft, but they didn’t and they’re probably not available now.”
These are the letters sent by former NSW Fires Chief Greg Mullins and 22 other former emergency chiefs to the Prime Minister in April and September predicting a bushfire crisis and requesting a meeting. #nswfires #auspol pic.twitter.com/djhHjHknAe
— Zoe Daniel (@zdaniel) November 9, 2019
Shane Warne’s staggering act to help bushfire appeal
Shane Warne has joined Australia's bushfire fundraising drive, putting his prized baggy green up for auction.
Cricket fans have a chance to bid on Warne's Test cap until Friday night, with all proceeds to be donated to the Australian Red Cross to help those affected by fires around the country.
The item would rank among the most valuable mementos from the decorated career of Australia's all-time leading wicket-taker.
Sir Donald Bradman's baggy green sold for approximately $420,000 in 2003.
Bidding for Warne's cap, which will come with an autographed certificate of authenticity, hit $300,000 a tick over an hour after opening.
Warne, who joins Ash Barty, Daniel Ricciardo and many others on a long list of high-profile members of Australia's sporting community to announce fund-raising measures, suggested it was the least he could do.
"The horrific bushfires in Australia have left us all in disbelief," Warne said.
"The impact these devastating fires are having on so many people is unthinkable and has touched us all. Lives have been lost, homes have been destroyed and over 500 million animals have died.
"Some of the images we're seeing are absolutely horrific."
Collingwood star Dayne Beams also announced on Monday he was putting his 2010 AFL premiership medal up for auction to raise funds for bushfire victims.
Barty is donating all her prize money from this year's Brisbane International to help bushfire victims, while Ricciardo is auctioning a race suit from the Australian Grand Prix.
A stack of cricketers are donating sums of money based on how many sixes they hit or wickets they claim in this summer's Big Bash League.
Australia's Test attack has pledged $1,000 per wicket in the SCG Test.
with AAP