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Scott Morrison Responds After Greta Thunberg Criticised His Government For Inaction On Bushfire Crisis

Scott Morrison Responds After Greta Thunberg Criticised His Government For Inaction On Bushfire Crisis

“I’m not here to try to impress people overseas."

Stewart Perrie

Stewart Perrie

Australia's Prime Minister has clapped back at Greta Thunberg after she criticised his government for not acting more to stop bushfires like the ones we're seeing across the country.

The Swedish climate activist commented on a video of a raging inferno, writing: "Not even catastrophes like these seem to bring any political action. How is this possible? Because we still fail to make the connection between the climate crisis and increased extreme weather events and nature disasters like the #AustraliaFires. That's what has to change. Now."

Scott Morrison was asked what he thought about those comments and he most certainly didn't hold back.

PA

He told reporters at a press conference: "Australia and the Australian Government will set our policies based on Australia's national interests, on what Australia needs to do.

"That's where I keep my focus. It's not for me to make commentaries on what those outside of Australia think that Australia should do.

"We'll do in Australia what we think is right for Australia. And that has always been my guiding principle.

"I'm not here to try to impress people overseas.

"I'm here to do the right job for Australians and put them first, and that means putting the environment in which we live at the top of the agenda, along with the economy in which people live at the top of the agenda.

"And making sure that we have responsible plans to balance the issues to ensure that people have what they need going into the future and they can be confident about their future. And I believe that they can. I think that they can be very confident.

PA

"I mean, right now, particularly here in Mudgee where you have the double blow of drought and fires, you talk to people and what they talk to you about is their hope and they talk to you about their future."

Interestingly, Mr Morrison didn't use Greta's name during his answer.

The Prime Minister has been copping a lot of criticism for taking his family on holiday to Hawaii when there was a bushfire emergency happening.

He confirmed that he would cut the overseas jaunt short because two volunteer firefighters tragically died last week.

Mr Morrison has defended leaving the country by saying that he had promised his kids a break and he didn't want to let them down.

Featured Image Credit: PA

Topics: Greta Thunberg, News, bushfire, Australia, Politics