Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison claims no direct link between current blazes and climate change

Rebecca Speare-Cole22 December 2019

The Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison has claimed that a direct link between climate change and the current fires ravaging the country is "not credible" as he returned from his holiday in Hawaii.

Dozens of homes have been lost since Thursday and two firefighters have been killed as the infernos rage across New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia.

On Sunday, the Prime Minister answered critics who said his government had not done enough to fight climate change, which has been repeatedly cited as a major factor in the spate of fires.

Mr Morrison said there were also "many other factors" responsible for the unprecedented number of fires during a record-breaking heatwave.

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"There is no argument ... about the links between broader issues of global climate change and weather events around the world," he said.

"But I'm sure people equally would acknowledge that the direct connection to any single fire event - it's not a credible suggestion to make that link."

Australia's Prime Minister Scott Morrison is briefed by NSW RFS Commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons
REUTERS

Mr Morrison also apologised for taking a family vacation in Hawaii amid public anger at his absence from Australia at a time of national crisis.

He cut short a vacation with his wife and adult children, arriving home on Saturday then speaking to reporters on a visit to the headquarters of the Rural Fire Service in Sydney on Sunday.

"If you had your time over again and you had the benefit of hindsight, we would have made different decisions," Mr Morrison said.

Protesters marched on Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison's official residence in Sydney
AFP via Getty Images

"I am sure Australians are fair-minded and understand that when you make a promise to your kids you try and keep it."

He added: "But as prime minister, you have other responsibilities and I accept that and I accept the criticism."

Mr Morrison said this was not a time for political point-scoring but a "time to be kind to each other."

He said he is not a trained firefighter, "but I'm comforted by the fact that Australians would like me to be here just simply so I can be here, alongside them, as they are going through this terrible time."

Rural Fire Service Commission Shane Fizsimmons described Saturday as an "awful day" for firefighters as strong southerly winds fanned more than 100 fires in New South Wales alone.

After the catastrophic day on Saturday, firefighters battling the wildfires made the most of cooler weather on Sunday to access badly burnt towns .

The forces hope to contain the blazes before the expected return of hotter conditions at the end of the week.

Thirty firefighters from Canada and nine from the United States were among fresh crews set to join the battle against the fires on Sunday.

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