Scott Morrison has admitted Australia is becoming ‘harder to live in’ due to the increase in natural disasters attributed to climate change.
The Prime Minister headed up Australia's east coast to Lismore to check out the damage left by devastating floods.
While speaking to those impacted by the hectic weather event in New South Wales, Mr Morrison said: “I think is just an obvious fact in Australia is getting hard to live in because of these disasters.”
However, he didn't seem to be moved to increase efforts to reduce the effects of climate change.
Advert
“I’ll tell you what’s not going to fix climate change...doing something in Australia and then in other developing countries their emissions continue to rise," he added.
“The real challenge of addressing climate change is ensuring that we’re working with other countries in the region and particularly developing countries to ensure we have the technology.”
During his visit to the flood-damaged region, Mr Morrison also issued an apology to the victims.
He told reporters at Lismore Emergency Operations Centre: “What's been seen here around the town centre today and many other areas, was nothing more than heartbreaking.
“You have to see it, you have to smell it, you have to feel it.”
Mr Morrison was met with climate change protestors, who chanted ‘the water is rising - no more compromising’.
Mr Morrison’s approach to climate change, or lack thereof, has been widely criticised as many councils and environmental activists have spoken out against his government's limited policies that address the issue.
Climate Council CEO Amanda McKenzie said: “It’s been one week to the day since Lismore was decimated by its most catastrophic flood on record.
"It’s been even longer since a ‘rain bomb’ left large swathes of Queensland completely submerged."
She added: “The Morrison government is failing to step up to the climate challenge, and prepare communities for worsening extreme weather. Now, tragically, Australians are paying the price.”
The Prime Minister declared a national disaster for the flooding in New South Wales only yesterday (March 9), despite them unfolding over the past few weeks.
Mr Morrison went on to say that he recognised the community's ‘anger, frustration and the senses of abandonment’ by those falling victim to the floods who are relying on emergency services.
"I feel deeply and empathise absolutely with how people feel when they find themselves in these situations," he said.
Charisa Bossinakis