Scott Morrison declared that the upcoming test match between Australia and New Zealand would be played in the shadow of tragedy.

As children of the two teams played a few overs on a lawn that crunched like tinder underfoot at Kirribilli House on Wednesday, Australia's Prime Minister acknowledged the bushfire crisis away from the idyllic harbour setting.

"This test and this whole season has been played out against terrible events both here in Australia and also in New Zealand with the White Island [volcanic eruption]," he told those gathered for the New Year's Day function in support of the McGrath Foundation and the Pink Test that begins on Friday.

He thanked the Australian captain Tim Paine and Black Caps vice-captain Tom Latham for their teams' decision to wear black armbands to commemorate the lives lost in the fires and expressed his gratitude to New Zealand for its on the ground support.

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"Your recognition of them during the course of this test series will mean a lot to their families and their mates." he said.

STEVEN SIEWERT/SYDNEY MORNING HERALD Prime Minister Scott Morrison joins the Australian cricket team at Kirribilli House before the Sydney test against the New Zealand side.

"I today want to particularly recognise the contribution of New Zealand's firefighters and what they have done to support their Australian mates here at this testing time.

"Since November more than 100 firefighters, an incident management team and aviation specialists have supported our teams battling the blazers in New South Wales."

STEVEN SIEWERT/SYDNEY MORNING HERALD Prime Minister Scott Morrison accepts a gift from the Australian cricket captain Tim Paine and the Black Caps vice-captain Tom Latham at CREDIT:

Morrison said that this was a "time of great challenge for Australia", but that even as the fires continued Australians would gather at the SCG and around televisions to watch the match and "be inspired by the great feats of our cricketers from both sides of the Tasman".

He said Australia had benefited from the support of many nations in fighting the fires.

Morrison comments came as critical international attention on the government's climate policies appeared to increase.

PHOTOSPORT The Black Caps are taking on Australia in Sydney on Friday.

In a piece published on Wednesday New York Magazine described Morrison as embodying the "forces of denial" while the day before The Economist magazine described the Coalition's response to climate change as "lethargic".

Morrison declined to comment on the remark.