Australian politicians prove their failings when they cannot address the reality of climate change when confronting the immediate crisis of drought and bushfire.

Michael McCormack may have felt good for a moment when he vented about "inner-city raving lunatics" but his tough words only confirmed his weakness.

Sitting atop a Coalition government that is easily split on whether climate change is real, the Nationals leader and Deputy Prime Minister was easily provoked into an intemperate remark to satisfy a conservative base.

But the reality should not be so hard to admit. Australian scientists say there is a connection between climate change and bushfire risk.