Here's what you need to know this morning.

Improved visibility but air pollution still extreme

Visibility across NSW is rated "very good" in most areas today but the air quality remains dangerous, still three times higher than hazardous in Sydney's west.

The PM2.5, the fine particulate matter which is too small for the eye to see but can cause health problems, is 395 in the Sydney CBD, 510 in Macquarie Park, 633 in Oakdale.

Anything over 200 is considered hazardous.

In Orange in the state's central west, the rating is very high at 1,011.

Yesterday parts of Sydney recorded dangerous readings of more than 11 times hazardous levels.

Liberal minister speaks out on climate change

Matt Kean said he does not want politics to risk the health of the planet. ( AAP: Mick Tsikas )

NSW Energy Minister Matt Kean has told a national conference that climate change is behind the state's current bushfire crisis and there is no use in "beating around the bush".

Mr Kean began his speech by saying the bushfires had been caused by extreme weather events, high temperatures and the worst drought in living memory.

The Minister went on to say it was what scientists had warned of for decades and politics could not get in the way of winning the "climate wars".

He said renewable energy was an economic opportunity "we would be negligent to miss".

"To those vested interests and ideologues who want to stand in the way of this transition, I say enjoy your Kodak moment because the energy iPhone is on its way."

Labor leader Jodi McKay applauded Mr Kean's comments, but accused Premier Gladys Berejiklian of being "missing in action".

Transport fares face 5 per cent hike

Transport fares could go up from July next year. ( ABC News )

The State Opposition has criticised a proposal by the state's pricing regulator to increase single fares for Sydney's public transport by 5 per cent a year, saying it's a "massive" hike.

The Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal (IPART) has released its draft recommendations on public transport pricing which puts forward an average rise of 30 cents a year for a single fare from next July.

In a draft report to the Government, IPART said passengers were currently paying about a quarter of the overall cost of public transport, with taxpayers funding the rest.

But Shadow Treasurer Walt Secord said the Government should reject the recommendation, which he said is three times the rate of inflation.

"The increase they want is excessive and could translate as up to $100 a year extra," he said.

A final determination will be made in February.

Sex abuse royal commissioner rounds on Catholic Church

Justice Peter McClellan chaired the royal commission into child sex abuse. ( AAP: Damian Shaw )

The head of the royal commission into child sex abuse has singled out Catholic Church leaders, strongly criticising them for failing to act on child sex abuse because they considered it to be a "moral failure" rather than a crime.

In a speech in Sydney to the Australian Human Rights Commission on Tuesday evening, Justice Peter McClellan spoke publicly about the royal commission, which concluded in 2017, for the first time.

He said the abuse was covered up by the Catholic Church and offenders were moved to protect the church, which inevitably endangered other children.

"We heard from many leaders of the Catholic Church, some of whom argued sexual abuse was a moral failure rather than a criminal act," he said.

"I cannot comprehend how any person, much less one with qualifications in theology … could consider the rape of a child to be a moral failure but not a crime.

"This statement by leaders of the Catholic Church marks out the corruption within the Church both within Australia, and it seems from reports, in many parts of the world."