The NSW emergency service minister says he will "step up, not step down" after jetting back from an "inexcusable" overseas holiday to face the state's bushfire crisis.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
David Elliott on Saturday morning fronted reporters at the NSW Rural Fire Service headquarters in Sydney.
"I arrived here last night and I spoke to (southern NSW recovery coordinator) Dick Adams," he told reporters.
"I will be supporting the premier and the commissioner, making sure that I get on top of the operations and the deployments that occur today."
Asked if he planned to stay on in his role, Mr Elliott said "I came back to step up, not step down".
Mr Elliott on Friday night apologised for being overseas as bushfires ripped through the south coast of NSW.
"My absence over the last week was inexcusable," he said.
"I should have put my RFS family first and foremost given the current conditions (even my own family acknowledge that) and now it's time to get back to work."
The Baulkham Hills MP came in for heavy community criticism for travelling overseas during a bushfire season in which almost 1300 homes have been razed, 17 lives lost and bush three times the size of Sydney burnt.
NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian did not go into detail when asked about Mr Elliott's plans for Saturday's forecast bushfire "onslaught".
"He's here (at RFS headquarters). He will be here," she told reporters.
Ms Berejiklian said "of course" she was glad to have Mr Elliott back in the country.
Australian Associated Press
