The prime minister’s office says he has been in constant contact with officials – but declines to fill in any of the blanks

Where the bloody hell was he? How Scott Morrison spent the past week of the bushfire crisis

#Wherethebloodyhellareyou.

It was the $186m campaign slogan greenlit by Scott Morrison when he was head of Tourism Australia.

But the M&C Saatchi line has been used against the prime minister several times since the bushfire emergency began. First, when he went on a family holiday to Hawaii, and again as the deadly bushfires continue to rage, with worse conditions to come, and Morrison wasn’t seen for days.

On Thursday, Morrison faced the cameras for his first press conference since Sunday. Before that, the prime minister had not taken questions since Christmas Eve.

So where the bloody hell has he been? The prime minister’s office declined to fill in any of the blanks for this article, other than to note that Morrison has remained in constant contact with premiers, defence force chiefs and fire authorities, as well as his own cabinet ministers, to stay abreast of the situation.

26 December

The prime minister is spotted going for a swim at Sydney’s Bronte beach with his mother and children by the Daily Mail.

More than 30 fires are considered out of control, although the slightly easier conditions are used by firefighters to carry out more backburning operations in a bid to prepare for worse days ahead.

27 December

National party MP Darren Chester calls for volunteer firefighters to be paid, breaking ranks with the government position.

Morrison is not seen but releases a statement announcing ADF liaison officers will be placed in every fire control centre.

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The NSW emergency minister, David Elliott, announces he will be going overseas on leave, but will return if needed.

Scores of fires remain out of control, with almost 1,500 volunteer firefighters deployed in an attempt to bolster containment lines.

The environment minister, Sussan Ley, announces up to 30% of NSW’s mid-north coast koala population may have been killed in the blazes.

28 December

Warnings of the New Year’s Eve heatwave and catastrophic fire conditions begin to circulate.

Firefighters continue attempts to set up containment lines, while battling up to 70 blazes.

Morrison is not seen publicly.

29 December

Morrison announces NSW RFS volunteers will be paid $300 a day, up to $6,000, in federal government funds, to be administered by the NSW government, with other states eligible to apply for the same funds.

He holds his first press conference since Christmas Eve, calling media to the NSW RFS headquarters.

Despite having said volunteer firefighters “want to be there” when asked about payment in early December, and calling it a distraction when asked on Christmas Eve, Morrison says the government has been working on the payments “for some time”.

Victorian authorities order the evacuation of a vast area of East Gippsland.

CFA Updates (@CFA_Updates) Everyone in East Gippsland must leave the area today due to the fire danger forecast for tomorrow. Do not travel to this area. It is not possible to provide support and aid to all the visitors currently in the East Gippsland region.



Full info here: https://t.co/IlcPMgnLJ7 pic.twitter.com/XJBwFdGVej

Morrison also comments on the Sydney New Year’s Eve fireworks debate, after he is asked whether they should go ahead. He says Australia is known for its “optimism”, which becomes a new year’s theme for him.

“Sure, we’re going through tough times. You know, it’s not the first time Australia and, in particular this city, has gone through difficult times before. But we always rise above them. We don’t allow them to get us down.”

30 December

Bushfires sweep across NSW, Victoria, Tasmania and South Australia.

Morrison does not appear publicly.

Late on Monday comes the news a third NSW RFS volunteer, Samuel McPaul, has been killed, when the truck he was in rolled during freak conditions created by a fire at Jingellic, on the NSW/Victoria border.

Scott Morrison (@ScottMorrisonMP) Devastated at the terrible news of the loss of another volunteer firefighter and two others injured near Jingellic in southern NSW where a truck has rolled over. In a separate vehicle another firefighter has been injured.

31 December

Morrison releases a video statement over social media, offering condolences to Sam McPaul’s relatives. He also releases a written statement but does not appear publicly.

The fires rage out of control across the NSW south coast and Victoria’s East Gippsland area. Fire authorities report it is like nothing they have witnessed before.

Pictures of thousands of people stranded on beaches are broadcast to the world, with the defence force called in to evacuate fire refugees. At least four people are confirmed to have died in the past 48 hours.

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Hundreds of homes are lost – more than 350 by the end of the day, and counting.

Morrison spends the evening at Kirribilli, where unnamed sources report the New Year’s Eve mood to be “sombre”.

1 January

Morrison releases a new year message to Australia, declaring there is “no better place to raise kids” and reiterates his “optimism” message.

𝕤𝕒𝕞𝕒𝕟𝕥𝕙𝕒 𝕞𝕒𝕚𝕕𝕖𝕟 (@samanthamaiden) Finn, the young boy captured fleeing Mallacoota has told of the terror of that day. Both his parents are firefighters https://t.co/907RkV82GT pic.twitter.com/YUFG7ZKlCa

Bevan Shields (@BevanShields) And here’s another pic.twitter.com/MPppRMEnHe

Around the country, the devastation which hit the NSW south coast and Victorian East Gippsland region becomes clear. Thousands are left without power, water or communications – 176 homes are confirmed lost. That number would double by 2 January.

Morrison is not seen in public but hosts the annual New Year’s Day Cricket Australia-McGrath Foundation reception with the Australian and New Zealand teams at Kirribilli.

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He does not take questions but releases his address to the teams, where he says the forthcoming Sydney Test will be “played out against terrible events” but that “at the same time Australians will be gathered whether it’s at the SCG or around television sets all around the country and they’ll be inspired by the great feats of our cricketers from both sides of the Tasman and I think they’ll be encouraged by the spirit shown by Australians”.

Facebook Twitter Pinterest The Australia and New Zealand Test teams meet Scott Morrison. Photograph: Mark Evans/Getty Images

The navy deploys HMAS Choules to Mallacoota to help evacuate residents and tourists stranded on the beach.

Both the Victorian and NSW fire authorities say they believe the fires will burn for months. Victoria’s emergency commissioner, Andrew Crisp, says “only nature” can stop the blazes, while the NSW RFS deputy commissioner, Rob Rogers, says: “You could have 10,000 fire fighters on each fire we would not be able to get around these fires.”

2 January

The prime minister attends the funeral of Geoffrey Keaton, one of two NSW RFS volunteers killed last week.

He holds a press conference later in the day to announce his cabinet’s national security committee will be meeting on Monday, while urging Australians to “be patient” and remain calm.

He also highlights some of the challenges, beyond the evacuations:

“Down in Cobargo and places like that, where we know, where dairies have been milking and they simply have to pour the milk down the hill because of the lack of power to those areas at this time.

“That is the tragedy of what is occurring as a result of these disasters.”

And he defends his response to date:

“In the midst of the disaster, I understand the anxiety and I understand the fear that is there for many and I understand the frustration but this is a natural disaster. Natural disasters are best dealt with through the methodical, well-coordinated response that we are seeing today.”

He reiterates he has no plans to change Australia’s emissions reduction policy.

“What we will do is ensure that our policies remain sensible, that they don’t move towards either extreme and stay focused on what Australians need for a vibrant and viable economy, as well as a vibrant and sustainable environment. Getting the balance right is what Australia, I think, has always been able to achieve.”

Play Video 2:03 Australia bushfires: Scott Morrison defends his government's climate policies – video

Morrison spends the afternoon touring some of the communities which have been all but destroyed by fire, with his wife, Jenny. He receives a frosty reception in the NSW town of Cobargo, which has been heavily affected with three deaths and much of the main street destroyed. A local resident and a firefighter both refuse to shake his hand, saying the town needs more support.

Play Video 0:39 'I don't really want to': Scott Morrison's attempts to shake hands in Cobargo rejected – video

By late evening, fire authorities have closed two of the Bega evacuation centres, as the south coast evacuation continues.

NSW declares a state of emergency for seven days. Conditions for Saturday are forecasts to be some of the worst the nation has ever faced.