World / 2 billion AUD allocate for bushfire recovery says Australian PM

Canberra: Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison said on Friday that the government will allocate AUD 2 billion over the next two years to help those affected by the deadly bushfires raging across the country, local media reported.

The funds will support local governments, farmers and primary producers, as well as deliver mental health programs, The Sydney Morning Herald reported.

The money would be put into a bushfire recovery fund, which will be administered by the National Bushfire Recovery Agency established on Sunday.

"We will ensure the resilience and future of this country and we will do it by investing in the work that needs to be done," Morrison said.

Fires have wreaked havoc in parts of Austalia for months and are predicted to get worse, given that the temperatures typically peak in January and February.