"We would have made different decisions." Scott Morrison apologises for Hawaii holiday.

— With AAP.

Prime minister Scott Morrison has apologised for holidaying in Hawaii while much of Australia burned, but has also stressed now is not the time for point-scoring but rather “a time to be kind to each other”.

The Liberal leader returned to Sydney on Saturday night following days of criticism over his decision to take a family holiday.

On Sunday morning Morrison confirmed he’d been in Hawaii with his family on a trip that was planned six weeks ago.

“If you had your time over again and you had the benefit of hindsight we would have made different decisions,” Morrison told reporters in Sydney.

“I am sure Australians are fair-minded and understand that when you make a promise to your kids you try and keep it.

“But as prime minister, you have other responsibilities, and I accept that and I accept the criticism.”

.@ScottMorrisonMP has arrived back in Australia after cutting a family holiday to Hawaii short to respond to the bushfire crisis. The prime minister has just addressed firefighters at the @NSWRFS headquarters. #auspol #NSWFires #7NEWS https://t.co/3FcWYbF0jZ

— 7NEWS Sydney (@7NewsSydney) December 21, 2019

Morrison said to the people he’d upset by being away: “I apologise for that.”

The prime minister said he wasn’t a trained firefighter and obviously wouldn’t be in the field holding a hose.

“But I’m comforted by the fact that Australians would like me to be here just simply so I can be here, alongside them, as they are going through this terrible time.”

He said the focus should now be on the bushfire emergency.

“It’s time to be kind to each other,” he said.

“This is not a time for division, argument, partisanship or point-scoring. It’s a time to support people who have a very important job to do.”

Scott Morrison: “I have returned from leave and I know that has caused some great anxiety in Australia and Jenny and I acknowledge that. If we had your time over again and the benefit of hindsight we would have made different decisions.”

— Tom McIlroy (@TomMcIlroy) December 21, 2019

Morrison on Sunday extended sympathy to the families of NSW Rural Fire Service volunteers Geoffrey Keaton and Andrew O’Dwyer who were killed on Thursday night fighting fires.

It was their deaths that prompted Morrison to announce on Friday morning he was cutting short his overseas holiday.

Scott Morrison says he returned “out of deep respect” for the two NSW firefighters killed. He says he went on the holiday because he wanted to keep a promise to his kids. “I understand the anxiety and why people have even upset.” @10NewsFirst @10Daily

— Lia Harris (@LiaJHarris) December 21, 2019

The prime minister also acknowledged Australia’s firefighters don’t want to be out tackling the unprecedented blazes burning across the country.

The PM a fortnight ago said: “The fact is that these crews, yes they’re tired, but they also want to be out there defending their communities.”

But on Sunday he said: “No-one wants to be out there fighting these fires. No-one wants these fires to be happening at this time. But when those fires do occur, as they have for a very long time in this country, then those who have… signed up and put their hand up to be there to defend their communities, then they go out and they do this work.”

Morrison said anxious Australians should be very proud they had the best-resourced and coordinated fire services in the world.

The prime minister also confirmed that his government will not be changing its climate change policies following the catastrophic fire conditions.

“People can expect my government to do what it promised to do, what it took to the last election,” he said when asked if he would change his response to climate change.

“I know there are some who tried to make political points over these issues and score points over these issues in the midst of these disasters, and that is disappointing.

“I will do what I said I would do because that is how I am with the Australian people.”

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He then addressed critics who have demanded he take climate change more seriously.

The prime minister said he’d always acknowledged the connection between climate change and bushfires but there were also “many other issues” at play, including drought, fuel-load management, lightning strikes and arson.

“There is no argument… about the links between broader issues of global climate change and weather events around the world,” he said at the RFS headquarters in Sydney Olympic Park.

“But I’m sure people equally would acknowledge that the direct connection to any single fire event – it’s not a credible suggestion to make that link.”

Prior to his press conference this morning, the prime minister visited the NSW Rural Fire Service headquarters in Sydney, where he spent some time looking at the latest fire news with Commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons.

He also thanked a number of RFS volunteers for their commitment.

“People are getting tired. Our firefighters are getting tired. And the army of volunteers that sit behind them and their families, they’ll be getting tired,” he said.

“I just want to say thank you. Thank you and God bless you. Stay safe.”

It’s believed the Liberal leader will visit a number of other evacuation centres today.

Feature Image: Twitter.

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