‘Go and do something productive’: Acting PM tells climate protesters they are wasting their time as Australia records hottest ever day

Demonstrators demand prime minister Scott Morrison return from holiday to tackle wildfire crisis

Australia’s acting prime minister has told a group of climate activists to “go and do something productive” as record-breaking temperatures exacerbate the wildfire crisis gripping the country.

The protesters have camped outside prime minister Scott Morrison’s official residence in Sydney and have vowed to stay put until he returns from holiday.

“Our direct message to Scott Morrison is for him to come home,” said Ambrose Hayes, a 14-year-old school pupil who is one of those organising the protest.

“Even though he’s entitled to a holiday, it shouldn’t be at a time when Australia is in crisis.”

But deputy prime minister Michael McCormack has criticised the climate campers, accusing them of wasting their time outside an empty house.

Speaking to the protesters through reporters at the Rural Fire Service control centre in Sydney, he said: “Go and do something productive. Go donate your time to Meals on Wheels or something like that.

“The fact is, the PM is not there. He’s having a well deserved holiday.”

Australia is currently sweltering during a “once-in-a-lifetime” heatwave, with first Tuesday and then Wednesday beating the record to be the country’s hottest-ever days.

The country is also grappling with a series of wildfires, which have killed six people and destroyed hundreds of homes.

New South Wales has already declared a state of emergency as it battles more than 100 individual bushfires, over fears the soaring temperatures and wind will worsen the crisis.

Mr Morrison has faced increasing anger over his climate change policies as a result. Protesters in Sydney are demanding the government cancel all new coal and gas projects, transition to 100 per cent renewable energy and create a funding framework for fossil fuel workers.

Initially, ministers downplayed suggestions climate change could be exacerbating the wildfires, with Mr McCormack dismissing the idea as coming from “raving inner-city lefties”.

“We’ve had fires in Australia since time began,” he said.

But Mr Morrison has now conceded climate change was one of the factors at work, although he insisted Australian policies alone could not affect the global climate.

However, international experts including the UN and the 2020 Climate Change Performance Index have said Australia must up its game to meet its emissions commitments and criticised Mr Morrison’s government for its inaction.

A local doctor, Kim Loo, warned the demonstration the crisis was not just an environmental emergency, but a health one too.

“It is negligent not to do anything about mitigation or adaptation. It is criminal to continue mining, burning, exporting oil, coal and gas because it’s fuelling the crisis.

“And this is the greatest crisis to our health in the 21st century.”