Bushfire royal commission to look at mitigation but not climate change

Scott Morrison says inquiry will explore how national response could include military, as well as the role of climate adaptation and hazard reduction

Expanding federal government powers to call out the military, national standards for hazard reduction and the mitigation of natural disasters - but not climate change itself - will be the focus of the bushfire royal commission.

On Thursday, Scott Morrison released the letters patent establishing the national inquiry, pushing ahead despite concerns over federal overreach into states' emergency management powers and pressure from Labor jurisdictions to focus more explicitly on reducing emissions.