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being driven by the warming atmosphere and oceans, and since the year 2000 there has been a significant increase in the frequency and number of serious weather events. Our group, which launched with 23 members last year and now counts 33 former fire chiefs among our ranks, has made repeated, and detailed recommendations to the
Federal government on how to better prepare Australia for worsening bushfire danger." Mullins also stated, "We are deeply concerned about the lack of climate action at a national level and felt obligated to speak out."
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recommendations about how to combat bushfires in
Australia and improve Australia’s effective bushfire readiness, response, and recovery. Mullins stated, "Australia's strategy has to go beyond the fire prevention and fighting process itself". Instead he argues, "the Federal Government must tackle the root cause of climate change by urgently phasing out fossil fuels to reach net zero emissions."
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it when preparing documents, and I think that is a tragedy." He has also stated, "when I was commissioner I was constrained in talking about climate change because it was very inconvenient to some politicians...I was spoken to by my minister at the time and senior officials saying not to buy into that, just don't, it's not your job, just fight the fires."
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He was then appointed as
Assistant Commissioner in 1996, becoming the youngest person ever to hold this position. In 2000, he became the Director of State Operations. He regularly represented Australia emergency services internationally, covering issues such as terrorist attacks, urban search and rescue, and
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Firefighting is a family profession. Greg
Mullins' father, Jack, was also a firefighter who served with Terrey Hills RFS for 61 years. This meant Mullins started fighting fires from a young age. He describes, "I fought my first large fire on 1 October 1971 with Dad – a huge fire was scorching its way
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Throughout summer, Mullins consistently linked the cause of the bushfires to climate change. He has stated, "We have to talk about climate change because our bushfire season in
Australia has changed forever". He called for the urgent need to phase out fossil fuels as the driver behind climate change
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Reflecting on his time during office, Mullins believes that current serving fire chiefs are gagged from speaking out in different ways. He stated that when he was in the role, "some things were out of bounds and often climate change was one of those issues, even to the point of having to work around
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Aged 13, Mullins joined the Duffys Forest bushfire brigade as a volunteer. He served there for six years before joining NSWFB full-time in 1978 where he was first stationed in Manly. Mullins came to serve as
Station Officer in 1990, District Officer (Inspector) in 1992, and a Superintendent in 1995.
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Mullins has also pushed back on what he perceived to be a lack of leadership from the
Federal Government and a reluctance to speak about climate change. He stated, "This government fundamentally doesn't like talking about climate change. We would like the doors to be open to the current chiefs, and
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Mullins and other members of ELCA tried to meet with
Australian Prime Minister, Scott Morrison, for multiple months in the lead up to summer to “warn the prime minister about what veteran firefighters, climate scientists and meteorologists all identified as a looming bushfire disaster.” He has also
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One of
Mullins' main goals as Commissioner was to increase how many women were in the brigade. When he first joined "only men could fight fires". In 1985, women were then "allowed" to join. However, there was for a long time a low uptake of female firefighters. Mullins' parents had demonstrated for
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In response to the fires, Mullins chaired The
National Bushfire and Climate Summit, hosted by ELCA, in June and July 2020 to discuss how to protect Australia from escalating fire danger. The Summit culminated in the release of The Australian Bushfire and Climate Plan. This provided 165 practical
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As Mullins explained, "Across our careers, we have observed the climate changing for the worse, and natural disaster risks escalating in tandem with increased frequency and intensity of extreme weather events. The science is clear, simple, and cannot be disputed – intensifying extreme weather is
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since the organisation began in 1884. He was also the first person to fill both roles of Chief Fire Officer and Chief Executive Officer. During this time, he was responsible for more than 6,800 firefighters based at 337 fire stations, 400 support staff, and 6,000 volunteers.
299:(ELCA) which was launched on 10 April 2019. ELCA is a group of experienced ex-fire and emergency chiefs in Australia. They have a particular interest in addressing the underlying causes of allegedly extreme weather events, focusing especially on "climate change".
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and the bushfires, "if we are to have any hope of coping with the increasing bushfire threat, we must deal with the underlying driver – by phasing out fossil fuels, banning new coal, oil, and gas projects, and reaching
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equal rights for women in the 1960s and 70s, and Mullins introduced equal male female recruitment. The class of 2016 reached this goal with equal numbers of men and women.
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Mullins was appointed as Commissioner in July 2003, a position he held until retiring in January 2017. He retired as the second longest serving Fire Chief in
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from Bobbin Head through to Duffys Forest – and joined the local bushfire brigade the year after." From that moment onwards he said, "I was hooked."
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Since retirement, Mullins has rejoined the volunteer bushfire brigade of Duffys Forest where he started in 1972.
621:"'Some things were out of bounds': Fire chiefs 'gagged' on climate change warnings to government, inquiry told"
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984:"Former Australian fire chiefs say Coalition ignored their advice because of climate change politics"
913:"Former Australian fire chiefs say Coalition ignored their advice because of climate change politics"
939:"The battle against the bushfires should focus our attention on the war against climate inaction"
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allow them to utter the words 'climate change'. They are not allowed to at the moment."
550:"'Of one thing we can be certain, the fires will return': Greg Mullins' global warning"
424:"'Of one thing we can be certain, the fires will return': Greg Mullins' global warning"
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It may require cleanup to comply with Knowledge (XXG)'s content policies, particularly
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573:"Women make up 50 per cent of Fire and Rescue NSW graduating class for first time"
527:"Fire and Rescue NSW Commissioner Greg Mullins retires after 39 years of service"
401:"Fire and Rescue NSW Commissioner Greg Mullins retires after 39 years of service"
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Mullins has also been a Climate Councillor with the Climate Council since 2018.
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887:"Former fire chiefs warn Australia unprepared for escalating climate threat"
861:"Former fire chiefs warn Australia unprepared for escalating climate threat"
644:"'It's not your job': former fire boss allegedly gagged on climate change"
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838:"Government has to learn lessons from South Coast bushfires"
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stated that they "knew that a bushfire crisis was coming".
1009:"Unpacking the National Bushfire and Climate Summit 2020"
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A major contributor to this article appears to have a
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2016: Police Commissioner’s Commendation for Service
352:"Retirement looms as busy time for top firefighter"
286:1991: St Johns Ambulance Emergency Services Award
664:. Department of the Prime Minister & Cabinet
1083:"National bushfire and climate plan released"
961:"National bushfire and climate plan released"
374:"Greg Mullins – fighting from the front line"
88:. Consider transferring direct quotations to
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271:2018: Officer of the Order of Australia (AO)
471:"The Commissioner of Fire & Rescue NSW"
267:Mullins has received the following awards:
55:Learn how and when to remove these messages
277:2001: Australian Fire Service Medal (AFSM)
761:"District Officer Gregory Philip MULLINS"
176:Learn how and when to remove this message
158:Learn how and when to remove this message
1035:"Australian Bushfire & Climate Plan"
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306:During the bushfires that raged during
767:. Department of Premier & Cabinet
741:. Department of Premier & Cabinet
715:. Department of Premier & Cabinet
548:Greg, Callaghan (20 September 2020).
422:Greg, Callaghan (20 September 2020).
79:too many or overly lengthy quotations
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1039:Emergency Leaders for Climate Action
816:Emergency Leaders for Climate Action
599:Emergency Leaders for Climate Action
297:Emergency Leaders for Climate Action
291:Emergency Leaders for Climate Action
216:Emergency Leaders for Climate Action
1116:Officers of the Order of Australia
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982:Zhou, Naaman (14 November 2019).
911:Zhou, Naaman (14 November 2019).
791:Newcastle Climate Change Response
735:"Mr Gregory Philip MULLINS, AFSM"
688:Newcastle Climate Change Response
350:John, Morcombe (9 January 2017).
206:. He is a former Commissioner of
36:This article has multiple issues.
658:"Mr Gregory Philip MULLINS AFSM"
571:Hoh, Amanda (16 December 2016).
322:emissions as fast as possible."
295:Mullins is a founding member of
280:2001: National Medal – 1st Clasp
210:, a Climate Councillor with the
138:. Please discuss further on the
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231:Fire and Rescue New South Wales
208:Fire and Rescue New South Wales
44:or discuss these issues on the
1085:. Stock Journal. 4 August 2020
1059:Duncan, Elly (2 August 2020).
963:. Stock Journal. 4 August 2020
937:Rose, Anna (2 February 2020).
642:Burgess, Katie (27 May 2020).
525:Hoh, Amanda (6 January 2017).
399:Hoh, Amanda (6 January 2017).
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836:Mullins, Greg (18 May 2020).
709:"Mr Gregory Phillip MULLINS"
885:Cox, Lisa (10 April 2019).
859:Cox, Lisa (10 April 2019).
619:Foley, Mike (27 May 2020).
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623:. Sydney Morning Herald
552:. Sydney Morning Herald
426:. Sydney Morning Herald
446:"Author, Greg Mullins"
380:. Macquarie University
16:Australian firefighter
646:. The Canberra Times.
475:Fire & Rescue NSW
354:. The Daily Telegraph
136:neutral point of view
840:. The Canberra Times
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204:firefighter
1105:Categories
1063:. ABC News
941:. ABC News
575:. ABC News
529:. ABC News
403:. ABC News
337:References
222:Early life
94:Wikisource
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140:talk page
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