Prime Minister Scott Morrison has again defended his response to the devastating Australian bushfires as inquiries into the tragedy loom.
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Labor on Wednesday established a Senate inquiry to consider preparations for, responses to and recovery following the fires.
The proposal was supported by the Greens, Centre Alliance, One Nation and Jacqui Lambie, while the government voted against it.
Labor has used the start of federal parliament to attack Mr Morrison over his handling of the crises, in which more than 30 people died.
The prime minister was criticised for travelling overseas on a family holiday as fires burned and for not pushing the button on federal government help quickly enough.
But the prime minister has defended his response, pointing to the compulsory callout of reservists, the new bushfire recovery agency and extra funding for water bombing aircraft.
"The government's response to the national bushfire emergency over this Black Summer has been unprecedented," he told parliament on Wednesday.
Gilmore MP Fiona Phillips, whose NSW south coast electorate was ravaged by the fires, said people in her region were struggling to get government help.
"I don't know what the prime minister is talking about," she said.
"He does not care about Gilmore.
"He flew in to Nowra to do a press conference and then he flew right out again. A fly in, fly out PM. He didn't even take the time to visit my fire-impacted communities."
Labor leader Anthony Albanese said the government had been complacent in its response.
"It has been one whereby their arrogance and their hubris has been on full display before the Australian people," he said.
Draft legislation to exempt bushfire relief payments and volunteer loss-of-income grants from tax has passed the first hurdle of parliament on Wednesday, with the government hoping to have it rubber-stamped quickly.
Mr Morrison is promising a national inquiry into the bushfire crisis will be "very swift".
"This will be done by the end of August," he said.
The inquiry will first look at all previous royal commissions into bushfires across the country and audit the various recommendations.
It will also look at when the federal government is legally able to respond to similar crises, such as when the defence force can be called out.
"We need to know better at what point we can do that in the future," Mr Morrison said.
The inquiry will also look at issues including hazard reduction burns, land clearing and native vegetation laws.
State premiers are weighing up the prime minister's proposal.
Australian Associated Press
