PRIME Minister Scott Morrison says he walked away from a distraught Cobargo resident because there were other bushfire-affected people who wanted to speak with him.
The prime minister was filmed on Thursday approaching a young woman in Cobargo and forcing her to shake his hand before walking away when she demanded better funding for the NSW Rural Fire Service.
The woman, Zoey Salucci-McDermott, later said the interaction broke her heart.
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READ NOWMr Morrison on Saturday was asked why he turned his back on the 20-year-old pregnant mother.
“There were quite a number of people who were there, and other people were wanting to talk to me as well, which is what I went and did,” the Liberal leader told reporters in Canberra.
“What she spoke to me about was the need for more local fire brigade support. That’s what she raised with me when I was talking to her and I went on to meet a number of other people.”
The prime minister said Ms Salucci-McDermott wanted to ensure there was greater RFS support “and I have already relayed that on to the RFS”.
Father and son Robert and Patrick Salway died in Cabargo while defending their home earlier this week.
Mr Morrison on Saturday stressed he was “the first senior leader to go into Cobargo” after the firestorm and he argued whoever walked into the town was going to feel anger and fury.
The prime minister – who’s been heavily criticised for going on holiday to Hawaii while Australia burned – said there was a “mixed response” to his visit and some people were incredibly pleased to see him.
“These arms have given a lot of hugs in the last three months,” he said.
“In fact, they’ve given a lot of hugs over the last almost year-and-a-half in which I’ve been prime minister.”
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