Scott Morrison back in Australia to deal with country’s bushfire crisis
Prime Minister Scott Morrison has flown back into Sydney after cutting his overseas family holiday short to respond to the bushfire crisis. He is expected to visit RFS headquarters and other emergency sites on Sunday.
NSW
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Prime Minister Scott Morrison has flown back into Sydney after cutting an overseas family holiday short to respond to the bushfire crisis.
Mr Morrison arrived back on Australian soil on Saturday evening, AAP has confirmed.
He is expected to visit NSW Rural Fire Service headquarters and other emergency sites on Sunday.
Mr Morrison defended his family holiday to Hawaii during the bushfire emergency, saying it was arranged some time ago. He has been criticised for taking leave as intense blazes burned across the country.
“I deeply regret any offence caused to any of the many Australians affected by the terrible bushfires by my taking leave with family at this time,” Mr Morrison said in a statement on Friday.
“I have been receiving regular updates on the bushfires disaster as well as the status of the search for and treatment of the victims of the White Island tragedy.” Mr Morrison’s wife and daughters will remain in Hawaii.
He was originally scheduled to return to prime ministerial duties on Monday.
Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese said the circumstances were a problem of the government’s own making.
“I find it quite extraordinary that the usual protocols of the prime minister saying he is going on leave, how long he would go for and who would be acting in his absence have not been followed and, indeed, media inquiries were met with misinformation, at best,” he told reporters on Saturday.
Before heading to the airport Mr Morrison and wife Jenny were spotted at a beachside hotel in Waikiki 24 hours after he promised to cut short his holiday in Hawaii and return to Australia.
Two Australian tourists confirmed the sighting at an upmarket hotel about 7am Saturday morning (Canberra time) or 10am Friday local time.
The first direct flight departing Honolulu and bound for Sydney departed at 10am local time.
A Government source told The Sunday Telegraph Mr Morrison would return to Australia late on Saturday night. After his return, Mr Morrison will receive a fire briefing and is due to meet with emergency service workers on Sunday.
The sighting comes 12 hours after photos emerged online of Mr Morrison and wife Jenny watching the sunset on Waikiki Beach on Thursday night.
The Sunday Telegraph has confirmed the photos were taken at the Aloha beach bar near where the Morrisons are staying.
Mr Morrison is expected to return to Australia this eventing after cutting his holiday short following criticism for going overseas while bushfires raged in Australia and without an official statement being released from his office.
In a statement, Mr Morrison said he “deeply regrets” any offence caused by his holidaying in Hawaii while fires burned in Australia.
“I have been receiving regular updates on the bushfires disaster as well as the status of the search for and treatment of the victims of the White Island tragedy.”
The holiday was originally due to conclude on Monday.