Scott Morrison rejects call for early states meeting on bushfires

Scott Morrison has rejected calls to bring forward a meeting of states to discuss bushfire management.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison says he doesn't want to distract fire chiefs. Picture: Jane Dempster

Scott Morrison has rejected calls to bring forward a meeting of states to discuss bushfire management as blazes ravage the nation.

The Prime Minister said “plenty of issues” including hazard reduction and compensation for volunteers would be up for discussion at the next COAG in March, but ruled out having the meeting sooner.

“There will be plenty of issues to review — everything from how hazard management is dealt with in national park areas (to) ... carelessness in some occasions,” he said.

“What we don’t want to do is distract from the here and now operational requirements, and that’s where we need the focus of our chiefs right now.”

Mr Morrison said if authorities needed specific assistance sooner it would be addressed.

“I’ve been talking to (premiers and fire chiefs), and they ... are very comfortable with the arrangements that we have,” he said.

“I know that some will seek to take political opportunity in these events. I don’t think that that is very helpful.

“What’s really helpful is focusing on what the fire commissioners and the premiers are talking to me about on a daily basis.”

Mr Morrison said support for volunteer firefighters would be up for discussion but he did not believe “compensation” was the right way to describe what was needed.

“What is important is to give the fire commissioner the tools that they need to best support and raise that volunteer force as it’s needed over across the fire grounds and where they need to meet that need,” he said.

“These are issues that will continue to be worked up together between states and territories.”

Mr Morrison also rejected the suggestion his position on climate change was at odds with Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack, who last week agreed more could be done to combat the issue.

“I know that people want to play word games and look for conflict where there isn’t any, and there’s not here,” he said.

“We have a clear policy on these things, and we’ll continue to pursue it.”

Anthony Albanese said the Prime Minister needed to expedite a planned meeting with state and federal leaders to discuss bushfire strategy.

The Opposition Leader said the next Council of Australian Governments meeting is not due until March.

“Clearly this is not business as usual but Mr Morrison is not listening. He is not listening to the fire chiefs, he is not listening to the science when it comes to climate change,” Mr Albanese said.

“Since he returned from Hawaii Scott Morrison said that there is no need to change any measures on climate change at all. He indeed has dismissed calls for change as panic.

“Well I say to Mr Morrison, people are scared of what is going on around them. If Mr Morrison thinks that there is nothing to see here it is because he can’t see through the smoke and haze that is being created by these bushfires.”