South Australian Premier Mike Rann has labelled arsonists
"terrorists" as authorities vow to "throw the book" at anyone
found responsible for the deadly bushfires that have
devastated Australia.
The Victorian death toll had risen to 76 late on Sunday after
emergency crews discovered scores of bodies at townships
northwest of Melbourne, ravaged by fire.
Twenty-six fires were burning in Victoria taking lives and
property, and another 53 were burning throughout NSW.
Victoria Police Deputy Chief Commissioner Kieran Walshe said
it was believed some fires in his state had been deliberately
lit, but would not say which ones.
"We have our suspicions in some instances but really we do
need to get to the position where we can get our
investigators and our forensic scientists into the fire
scenes to do a full, thorough investigation, see what
evidence can be uncovered which will confirm or deny for us
how these fires have originated," he told the Seven Network.
One of Mr Walshe's colleagues earlier on Sunday said
arsonists could be charged with murder or manslaughter
depending on available evidence.
"These people are terrorists within our nation, they are the
enemy within and we have to be increasingly vigilant about
them when you consider that 20 percent of the fires in South
Australia so far this summer have been deliberately lit," Mr
Rann told reporters in Adelaide.
NSW Premier Nathan Rees made his thoughts clear, telling
arsonists: "We will throw the book at you".
Federal Opposition Leader Malcolm Turnbull said police should
be relentless in their pursuit of arsonists and in bringing
offenders to justice.
NSW police have charged a 31-year-old Sydney man with
deliberately lighting a fire on the state's central coast.
He faces two charges in relation to a blaze near Gosford
which burned 175 hectares of bushland.
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