Australian PM Scott Morrison on Sunday apologized for taking a family vacation in Hawaii as deadly bushfires raged across several states, destroying homes and claiming the lives of two volunteer firefighters.
Morrison cut short vacation with his wife and adult children amid public anger at his absence from Australia at a time of national crisis. He arrived home Saturday and on Sunday morning spoke to reporters while visiting the headquarters of the Rural Fire Service in Sydney.
"If you had your time over again and you had the benefit of hindsight, we would have made different decisions," Morrison said. "I am sure Australians are fair-minded and understand that when you make a promise to your kids you try and keep it."
He added: "But as prime minister, you have other responsibilities and I accept that and I accept the criticism."
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Morrison said this was not a time for political point-scoring but a "time to be kind to each other." He said he is not a trained firefighter, "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."
Morrison also answered critics who say his government has not done enough to fight climate change, which has been cited as a major factor in the spate of fires burning across New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia. He said there were also "many other factors" responsible for the unprecedented number of fires during a record-breaking heatwave.