The Defence Force has faced criticism over a fire started near Canberra during the black summer bushfires after an inquiry by the ACT Coroners court. The 2020 fire destroyed most of Namadgi National Park in the south of the ACT before sweeping across the border into New South Wales.
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00:00The helicopter crew was looking for landing sites in case the Defence Force was called
00:08to protect Canberra during the devastating 2020 fires.
00:12Instead, a light on the helicopter started a fire during an unplanned toilet stop.
00:18It has been known for some time the helicopter started the fire.
00:23The crew even took pictures as they took off.
00:26The ACT government refused to hold any sort of inquiry, saying it didn't want a witch
00:31hunt.
00:32But the coroner set one up anyway to look into the 45 minutes it took Defence to tell local
00:39authorities.
00:40Today, Chief Coroner Lorraine Walker found it was not plausible no one on the helicopter
00:47thought to pass the information on.
00:49She described it as an error of judgement and called for Defence to improve its communications
00:55with local authorities during emergencies.
00:58A group of farmers from New South Wales who lost property during the fires was also part
01:04of the inquiry.
01:05They're now pursuing their own cases against the Commonwealth.
01:09Commonwealth.