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Scott Morrison is not at work at today. "Prior to the new government advising the sitting schedule for the remainder of 2022, I had already accepted an invitation to join other former prime ministers from Canada, the UK and New Zealand to address an international event to be held in Tokyo this week," he posted in a statement on his website. "As a consequence I will be unable to attend the first three sitting days of the new Parliament this week."
There is morbid fascination in defeat, in the once mighty struck low. Today, if he had shown up for work, the Member for Cook would have taken his place in parliamentary obscurity - the PM refashioned as a seat warmer, a vote - on the Coalition rump. The cameras would have settled on him as he made his way to the backbench, the commentators saying he's likely to quit politics before the end of his term. Not a moment too soon, his detractors would have hissed. His colleagues who now sit, deflated in opposition, are no doubt thinking the same thought because his antics in office are still causing them grief. They're likely relieved Scotty's a no-show in this first week of the new Parliament.
The annoyance on former home affairs minister Karen Andrews' face was barely concealed when she was compelled to defend the election-day publicising of an asylum seeker boat interception. "I was asked by the prime minister to issue the statement and that is exactly what I did," she said, rejecting claims her office had pressured the department - an exchange of text messages between the two suggests otherwise. The departure from the longstanding protocol of not commenting on operational matters was tossed aside, at the insistence of the then prime minister's office, the release was posted, Morrison confirmed the interception at a polling booth and a couple of hours later the Liberal Party texted voters about it in a desperate bid to cling to power by stoking border security fears.
Ethical chicanery aside, the act was breathtaking in its rank stupidity. Of course, Morrison's office would be caught out. Of course, Labor would seize on it. And that it did. New Home Affairs Minister Clare O'Neil tweeted: "This has got to be one of the most disgraceful acts I've ever seen in politics. The former government tried trading boats for votes on the day of a federal election by compromising a live operation." If ever there was a case for a federal integrity commission, she said, this was it.
Morrison's jammy fingers are no longer meddling in the machinery of government but it's unlikely we'll see the last of him. The temptation to keep digging up nasties hidden by the last government and its PM will be hard for the new incumbents to resist while he remains an MP. New revelations about poor prime ministerial behaviour will feed the Labor narrative the Coalition is unfit for a return to government. Morrison is a clear and present reputational danger to his own Coalition colleagues.
This first day on the wrong side of the House will be tough for the Coalition - its lowest point since 2007, when it was swept from power by Kevin Rudd. That the man who led it to this point in 2022 is absent should come as no surprise. He has form in that regard. But this time, unlike the Hawaii sojourn, there'll be relief he's not hanging around.
Someone ought to tell him: Scotty, for the sake of the party, it's time to go.
HAVE YOUR SAY: Would the boat turn back SMS have affected the way people cast their ballots on election day? Should someone be held to account for breaking with protocol? Is it all a storm in a teacup? And should Scott Morrison just quit Parliament now? Email us: echidna@theechidna.com.au
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IN CASE YOU MISSED IT:
- Police are investigating a confrontation between former NSW deputy premier John Barilaro and a television cameraman outside a Sydney bar. Video circulating online shows the former Nationals leader briefly clashing with the cameraman on a street outside a Manly bar about 7.30pm on Saturday.
- ADF support for Australia's aged care sector has been boosted and extended until at least the end of September, with COVID-19 outbreaks infecting 6000 residents and 3250 staff across the country. "It's important that we need to be doing everything we can to meet the challenge," Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Richard Marles told ABC News on Monday.
- Labor's first sitting week in government for nearly a decade is set to be dominated by climate change and difficult updates on cost of living pressures. The new-look 47th Parliament will open today, with Labor tasked with navigating a muscular crossbench and severely depleted moderate wing of the Coalition as it pushes through its agenda.
THEY SAID IT: "Depart, I say, and let us have done with you. In the name of God, go." - Leo Amery to Neville Chamberlain, May 1940
YOU SAID IT: Scott Morrison just won't go away. We asked about his sermon in which he took a swipe at the UN and faith in government in general.
Chez said: "Morrison from Marketing was all that he was. There was not an ounce of the statesman in him, he bamboozled his way through everything."
George wanted politics free of religion: "If I wanted to have God determine my political future I would have voted for Pope Francis," he wrote. "Regrettably, he was unable to partake of our elections."
Darrell agreed with Morrison's distrust of the UN. "Personally, I'd trust the United Nations as far as I could throw Ayers Rock - Uluru for those recently educated - but I've realised that for the past 40 years, so it's nothing really new. ScoMo speaking the truth for once and it's 'big conspiracy' news! And anyone who can't see the United Nations for what it is, can remain blissfully oblivious to the truth! Sleep on."
Ross echoed Darrell's sentiment: "Morrison got one thing right. The UN is the greatest waste of money in the history of the world. The original charter was to give belligerent nations a forum for discussion before 'pulling the trigger'. Now they have some 13 agencies none of which has ever performed. What is the good of the UN 'slamming' Russia, North Korea, China, ISIS, Myanmar, Israel etc. when none of these recognise the ICC, ICOJ, Security Council, etc?"
Crystal said Morrison's comments might have been taken out of context but "I agree with you about the times these words were uttered in being important. There's supposed to be a separation of church and state for a reason, and the insight that ScoMo didn't believe in the validity of the authority he was supposed to lead says a lot about why there was such a lack of leadership. Or action."
Heather said many saw through Scott Morrison from the outset: "There are many other Pentecostal nut bags in the LNP and other areas of power. This has not gone away."
Ian wanted to know who paid for Morrison's Perth trip: "He's still getting paid as an MP - shouldn't he be in his own electorate, doing the job we paid him for? Further to that - who paid for his tickets, his accommodation, etc.? Did he put in an 'expenses' claim for something not even remotely connected to his actual job? For that matter, who paid for those hair plugs? We need people who look on forensic accounting as a blood sport, to go through the expenses claims of all these spivs, before they can wriggle out of anything."
Richard said time was up for Morrison: "I believe he should resign. Managing the turmoil in the world is difficult enough without stirring his church members with disparaging and ill-informed preaching. If he believes what he is reported to have said why did he seek to hold the high office of prime minister in the first place?"
Terry said the sermon only added to his discomfort with Morrison. "He gave me the creeps even before his sermon, along with some of his Coalition colleagues."
Barry reminded us that we voted for Morrison in 2019. "Unfortunately for the Australian people we deserve everything we got under Scott Morrison and his far too right wing government. Is this what happens when you elect a religious nutter to be prime minister?"
Jane was not surprised by the sermon: "I tried to keep an open mind about why this man was prime minister. Time and time again I was disappointed, shocked, bemused and terrified. I would like to say I was surprised by his 'sermon' but let's be honest, the track record was there. Truly can't understand how he managed to keep his seat at the last election."