Bushfire response: Scott Morrison says he doesn’t take heckling personally

Scott Morrison says he understands why people affected by the bushfires are angry and upset.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison and wife Jenny visit Cobargo, NSW on Thursday. Picture: Sean Davey.

Scott Morrison says he doesn’t take the heckling he received in the fire-ravaged town of Cobargo personally and understands people are angry and upset with the situation they face.

The Prime Minister was also forced to defend trying to shake the hands of a young mother and volunteer firefighter, who was later revealed to have lost his home.

Neither of them wanted the physical contact, leading to awkward handshakes.

Mr Morrison said he had been “just seeking to offer comfort, that’s what people would expect me to do in these circumstances”.

A number of people in Cobargo, which lost two community members after father and son Robert and Patrick Salway died while trying to defend their property on Monday, questioned the government’s preparation for and response to the fires as Mr Morrison toured the devastated NSW town on Thursday.

Asked why he received that reception, including people yelling obscenities at him, Mr Morrison told 3AW radio: “People are angry and people are upset.

“Whether they’re angry with me or they’re angry about their situation, all I know was that they’re hurting and it’s my job to try and be there and offer some comfort and support. That’s my job.

“I don’t take these things personally, why would I? I know that they’re hurting, I know that they’re raw, and I know what our job is. It is to work closely with the states, support them in everything they need and to pre-empt their requests and to ensure our defence force and other agencies are ready to go.”

Mr Morrison said he had “reached out” and apologised to NSW Transport Minister Andrew Constance after the state member for Bega declared locals gave the Prime Minister “the welcome he probably deserved”.

“I’d say this to the Prime Minister today, the nation wants you to open up the cheque books, obviously help people rebuild their lives,” Mr Constance, a Liberal MP, told Seven News.

Mr Constance – who has had to defend his own property in the fires - said he had not known Mr Morrison was going to Cobargo on Thursday. The Prime Minister “regretted” not making contact with him sooner.

Australia’s bushfire crisis has received widespread coverage overseas, with some high-profile commentators criticising Mr Morrison’s response to the fires, including him taking a family holiday to Hawaii before Christmas.

Mr Morrison said the fire risk across the nation will continue for months and expected disaster payments – currently at about $25m – to rise significantly as assessments of the damage were carried out in the wake of the fires sweeping through NSW and Victoria.

Mr Morrison said he was concerned about the risks posed by the short-term potential for some of the large fires around the NSW-Victorian border to link up, and was pleased the premiers in both states had declared emergency situations.

“These fires are catastrophic and the joining up of NSW and Victorian fires represents a very great risk given the conditions we are expecting over the next few days,” Mr Morrison said.

“(It will be) more than days, the fire risk is still there in the months, not the weeks ahead,” he said.

Compensation for volunteer firefighters in South Australia and Tasmania was being activated as fires blaze in those states. Mr Morrison said Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews could also request the assistance if he wanted to.

Volunteers who are self-employed or who work for small and medium businesses and have been called out for more than 10 days this fire season can apply for payments of up to $300 per day, or a total of $6000 per person.

Volunteers in NSW and Queensland are already able to apply for the funding relief.

Mr Morrison said the fires would “of course” impact the Australian economy and expected a recovery effort similar to the Queensland floods in 2019 to rebuild herds, railways and roads.