With the apparent combustion of the Turnbull government expected on Friday, the parallels with Emperor Nero supposedly playing his lyre as Rome blazed around him are unmistakable.

Having our federal political leaders consumed with the Liberal Party's infighting is precisely not what's needed for our country. Just ask agencies battling to prepare for real-life conflagrations that threaten the eastern seaboard in coming months.

Standing back and watching climate change is not going to be an option. Credit:AAP

It's certainly ironic Malcolm Turnbull's ditching of carbon emissions as a goal of the National Energy Guarantee last week precipitated the crisis that has almost certainly ended his time as Prime Minister.

What is especially disturbing is the risk his successor - whether it is Peter Dutton or Scott Morrison or Julie Bishop or whoever else - will downgrade climate action as a priority in order to secure right-wing MP support.