A royal commission into Australia's unprecedented bushfires will not engage in finger pointing, its chair says.
Retired defence force chief Mark Binskin says the Royal Commission into National Natural Disaster Arrangements will deliver practical recommendations in time for the next bushfire season.
During an online ceremonial hearing on Thursday, Mr Binskin noted a number of commissions and inquiries had been held into natural disasters in the past.
He said the royal commission will work with state inquiries into the 2019-20 bushfire season to avoid duplication and consider how broader preparedness, resilience and recovery can be enhanced.
"With this in mind it's important for me to state that we do not intend to reopen the findings of these other inquiries, nor do we seek to point fingers or apportion blame to any jurisdiction, government or individual," Mr Binskin said.
"Rather, we are focused on national coordination and on looking for lessons for the future."
The "Black Summer" bushfires across Australia killed 33 people, destroyed more than 3,000 homes and burned through more than 10 million hectares of land.
Mr Binskin warned such an extreme and devastating bushfire season would likely recur.
"We accept that the extreme conditions we witnessed across the country in 2019-20 can, and most likely will, happen again.
"With this as our starting point, it is this royal commission's task to learn from the catastrophic experience and consider how we can take a national and a coordinated approach to preparation and response in the future."
Senior counsel assisting the commission Dominique Hogan-Doran SC said disaster response has been one of the most reviewed issues in the history of Australian governance.
There had been more than 240 inquiries and reviews into natural disasters in Australia, conducted by royal commissions, parliamentary committees, coroners, government agencies and independent reviewers.
"We detect a worrying consistency in the themes explored and repetitiveness in the recommendations made," Ms Hogan-Doran said.
"This is no time to reinvent the wheel."
Mr Binskin said the royal commission would identify ways governments at all levels can learn from past experience, adapt and improve, and work together more collaboratively for the safety and benefit of all Australians.
"This royal commission is a rare opportunity to come together as a nation and consider how we work together to prepare for, respond to and recover from natural disasters.
"It provides a means through which the tragic loss of life and livelihoods that occurred during the 2019-20 bushfires may be avoided or at least minimised in the future, as our climate and our society changes."
Mr Binskin said the extreme 2019-20 bushfire season had a profound impact on the nation and deeply affected the lives of many Australians.
"There can be no doubt that the harrowing experiences of this bushfire season will long linger in our national psyche.
"The pervasive smoke haunting our towns and cities, the red skies turning black, the thunderous roar and thick smoke that accompanied the wall of flames and the utter devastation."
The six-month inquiry must deliver a final report by August 31.
