The Australian firefighters union has attacked Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s plan for a royal commission into this summer’s disastrous bushfires, instead calling for an audit of recommendations from previous inquiries.

The United Firefighters Union of Australia described the prime minister’s proposal as a costly and time-consuming process that would be emotionally gruelling for witnesses forced to relive the trauma of the fires.

The union for professional firefighters argues the proposed royal commission would have no binding powers while just duplicating recommendations made in previous reviews.

United Firefighters Union chief Peter Marshall. Credit:AAP

It wants the Council of Australian Governments to oversee an audit of recommendations from other federal and state inquiries into past bushfire events.