I had hoped that I would not feel compelled to write something about the vacant narcissistic buffoon that is former Prime Minister Scott Morrison, now he is no longer in government. But, here we are. The Labor Party’s main weapon against the Liberal Party has excreted in his own nest, again.
Morrison has been shown to have ‘acquired’ 5 ministerial positions without telling anyone, not even those whose portfolios he acquired. It seems the only person who knew was the very compromised Governor General who swore him in to those positions but who seemingly acquiesced in keeping these swearings-in secret1.
One of the surprising things is, now that he is out of government, the mainstream media are starting to stick it to him, despite many of them giving him an easy ride while he was PM. They have been played for suckers and this demonstrates the poor quality of so many journalists. Even Phillip ‘Dorothy’ Coorey thinks this makes Morrison look dodgy, which is a big comedown for such an enthusiastic supporter of the Liberal Party2.
In Morrison’s attempted explanations, on Facebook3 and at his press conference today4, he tried to explain that he kept this acquisition secret because “those powers could be misinterpreted and misunderstood which would have caused unnecessary angst in the middle of a pandemic and could have impacted on the day-to-day functioning of the government”5. This is simply a vain attempt at a justification for something unjustifiable.
He said that if he needed to use the powers he gave to himself, he would have informed the Australian public. That is another of his myriad lies. He did exercise the powers he gave himself when he cancelled a petroleum exploration permit (PEP11) without telling the public6.
Morrison is so bereft of judgement, that he decided to keep these acquisitions secret, just like he kept his holiday in Hawaii secret (and asked his office to lie about it for him). This is a person who, when asked if he had lied while in public office, lied about it when he said he hadn’t7.
Another disturbing feature of this Morrison induced fiasco is that it seems Simon Benson8-10 and Geoff Chambers11,12, two of the worst ruperters in the Murdoch stable, knew of this acquisition by Morrison but apparently told nobody; saving it up so they could use the revelations to promote a book. If it is up to their usual standard of ‘analysis’, it would not be worth reading.
While Karen Andrews, former minister for Home Affairs under Morrison, and minister for one of the portfolios he acquired, has called for Morrison to resign from parliament13, former Prime Minister John Howard has stated that he doesn’t think Morrison should resign from parliament as it would not be in the Liberal Party’s interests14. Nationals Senator Bridget McKenzie has come out stating that these revelations are “absolutely unprecedented” and that the secret appointments have put the Westminster system’s efficacy (?) into question15. Given that ruperter Simon Benson is apparently Bridget McKenzie’s squeeze16, is she really indicating that she didn’t know?
This fiasco clearly demonstrates three things: Morrison’s lack of judgement; the malaise infecting the Liberal Party where self-interest trumps everything else; and the poor quality of most Australian journalists. I hope this fiasco sees the end of Morrison, because I never want to see or hear him again, ever. He has been an appalling blight on the parliament and the nation.
Sources
- https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2022/aug/16/former-australian-prime-minister-scott-morrison-pm-secretly-gave-himself-five-ministerial-roles
- https://www.afr.com/politics/federal/ghost-portfolios-it-s-the-secrecy-that-makes-morrison-look-dodgy-20220811-p5b8y7
- https://www.facebook.com/scottmorrisonmp
- https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/live/2022/aug/17/scott-morrison-anthony-albanese-josh-frydenburg-floods-disaster-migration-jobs-nsw-vic-qld-politics-live-news-weather-bom
- https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/live/2022/aug/17/scott-morrison-anthony-albanese-josh-frydenburg-floods-disaster-migration-jobs-nsw-vic-qld-politics-live-news-weather-bom
- https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2022/aug/15/scott-morrison-used-self-appointed-powers-to-override-minister-on-unpopular-pep11-gas-drilling-permit
- https://blotreport.com/2022/03/21/why-i-cannot-vote-for-the-morrison-government-lies-and-misogyny/
- https://blotreport.com/2018/07/30/how-murdoch-ruperters-operate-4/
- https://blotreport.com/2019/02/14/how-murdoch-ruperters-operate-17/
- https://blotreport.com/2019/06/04/how-murdoch-ruperters-operate-19/
- https://blotreport.com/2018/06/27/how-murdoch-ruperters-operate-2/
- https://blotreport.com/2019/09/07/how-murdoch-ruperters-operate-20/
- https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/7862842/betrayal-of-trust-karen-andrews-tells-morrison-to-resign-from-parliament/
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o9kOS3rmZfM
- https://www.afr.com/politics/federal/wealth-adviser-education-reforms-were-botched-coalition-mp-20220815-p5b9t1
- https://www.smh.com.au/national/minister-s-squeeze-pens-book-about-the-pm-20210124-p56whl.html
It’s heart-warming to see his reputation copping a well-deserved, if belated, pounding but nothing – and I mean NOTHING – about Morrison will surprise anyone who knows his history and character. Can’t wait for the Robodebt RC sequel myself, but even that will only skim the surface.
On the other hand, Bridget McKenzie accusing others undermining the Westminster system (or indeed commenting about anything related to unethical political behaviour) has to be an attempt at satire surely? If not it’s gold medal hypocrisy, no doubt driven by a need for some retribution for her (eventual) dumping from the Ministry. In hindsight, she really should have thanked whoever jemmied her out. After all, who would want their legacy to be a Minister of the worst government in modern Australian history, even if the part she played was completely insignificant?
McKenzie obviously hasn’t got the faintest notion of Westminster Ministerial responsibility or she would have resigned immediately her sports rorts machinations got the attention of the A-G. Then again, after years of being abused and white-anted by inept, lying, corrupt conservative govts here and in the UK the whole Westminster concept is essentially non-existent so maybe she figured following her leaders’ example was the gold standard?
Is my contempt showing?
Jon,
Just a smidgen. However, you will have to wait in the queue.
Possibly Morrison’s biggest lie to date – “I saved 40,000 Australian lives”. It’s either a bare-faced lie (most likely) or another indication of the self-aggrandising Morrison’s delusions. As an attempt to justify his sly multi-Ministerial hat behaviour it’s on a par with the dog ate my homework.
Jon,
He is certainly delusional. The 40,000 is largely by comparison with the death rate in European countries. This is especially appalling i9\n that it was Morrison who argued against the tactics used to cut down transmission.
Yes BA, I read an analysis/destruction of Morrison’s 40,000 “loaves and fishes” claims elsewhere. Apart from failing elementary statistical rules which say you will not compare apples with oranges, Morrison taking sole credit for actions wrought by the National Cabinet, the States and individual Australians – the latter two shouldered the largest burdens – is appallingly selfish (apart from being a load of garbage). What a buffoon.
One thing we learned about Morrison is that he regularly spoke with a forked tongue. That may explain his inability to be concise, although plenty would suggest that he had much darker motives for his schizophasia.
Jon,
I get the impression that Morrison is one of those people who wanted the PM job just so he could get the frisson of excitement from looking in the morning mirror and reciting ‘Mister Prime Minister’ half a dozen times to himself. His only concern was being able to do that for as long as possible.
On his accumulation of jobs: https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/commentisfree/2022/aug/19/why-australia-cannot-simply-move-on-from-scott-morrisons-many-ministries
On his vacuity: https://www.thesaturdaypaper.com.au/2022/08/20/scott-the-autarchic
The Saturday Paper (link) author pretty much summed it up:
“Morrison is confusing not because he is complex but the opposite. We cannot fathom how a man of his plodding inconsequence could have wielded such power and done nothing with it. The answer will never be satisfying, because there is not enough person in Morrison to make it satisfying. He just is.”
Yes, unfortunately he just is. Just as a vacuum just is, and absence of light just is. The proverbial empty vessel, albeit one made of Pb.
Jon,
Yeah, that was the bit that grabbed me too.
Your ample, admirable yet acrimonious, expostulation herein, your rabid rancor and your high but correctly felt dudgeon at recent nauseating revelations concerning the unquenchable lust for power manifest in the aggressive abomination who has been dubbed variously Smirkmo, Scummo, Scomo, Al Capone the second, Adolf Moronsin et similis, is undoubtedly the very equal and doppelganger of my own estimation of the ogre Morrison, which indubitably must resound in toto with the rigorous and righteous persuasion long extant within the minds of all and any ethically principled and honorable citizens of the woebegone, much assailed constitutionally monarchistic polity in which we together reside as the fortunate inheritors of a democratic institution whose roots lie in that salutary document the Magna Carta, the which was of course itself preceded by historical permutations and perturbations issuing from that which the ancient Greek scholars Solon, Cleisthenes, Ephialtes and (marvellously) Pericles, had posited as an ideal state for Athinai ……………………………..my Good Sir!
That is my strongly held yet quite brief and plainly worded summation of the post Admin has made this day.
Russell,
Jeez! After reading that I need a cup of tea and a lie down.
Morrison seemed to love using the word tempest during his rambling, pitiful, press conference. I loved the play, so I’ll just use a comment from someone who actually had a brain, and could communicate, to say what I think we all would like said to this idiot. “You cram these words into mine ears against the stomach of my sense.” ― William Shakespeare, The Tempest.
Mark,
Perfectly chosen.
May I thank the ‘Roi de la table ronde’ and, if I dare make tricksily bold, that fine chap of Scots descent from a southern state, for their dual, if stealthy, or shall one say, clandestine, glorification of the inimitable mastery exhibited by MOI of a most felicitous language to which Bill Jogglepike contributed swimmingly in time of yore; in universal parlance, “English”.
And should any who peruse this esteemed site imagine that the pre-eminent writer (me myself) has at any moment during his rather logorrheic responses to Admin above, engaged in jiggery-pokery of a linguistic kind using an Internet site named ‘Rhino-assist’, may I then, with voluble praise, accord that person with vulpine talent to perceive truth.
Alack the day, thus am I deservedly deprived of laurels so recently gained, and thus my literate gold turns instantly to dross!! For my error I will be reviled as “a base, proud, shallow, beggarly…. worsted-stocking knave”( – “Lear”). I shall no more to glassy deceit repair, since my my tawdry malefaction, yea, my maudlin misdeed be henceforth subject to shrieks of derision from every gender there be (and none) !
‘Twas that monster Morrison the mongrel miscreant and P..utrid M..unster of Oz, what sent me insaner than I were before……that is the basis of my plea for your Honour Admin’s mercy. I’m sure you empathise with the predicament of this political “watermelon” (green and reddish) who failed to maintain a rational existence after August 2018!
Russell,
I know. It was infuriating that a lying, bigoted, religious nutter like Morrison could actually be paid by us for anything, let alone for being PM. However, it seems like his dishonesty is now coming back to bite him in a big way. His 5 ministerial usurpations, and his assertion that he only used this power once, may not be the full story, and some online journos are saying there is much yet to come out. Couldn’t happen to a nicer skidmark on the Liberal Party’s underpants.
BRILLIANT piece of satire from Tony Wright in the SMH today.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/the-governor-general-receives-a-call-from-the-palace-20220822-p5bbuw.html
Sums up the artless Hurley’s role as Morrison’s marionette sublimely. Despite Albanese refusing to publicly criticise him, it suggests to me that Hurley really has little clue about government and democracy. Makes sense if you read Failures of Command.
Jon,
That piece by Wright is sublime. I think Hurley is just one of those people who occupies a position but has no conception of what the job is about. He even thinks he is simply a rubber stamp and probably thought ‘how hard can it be?’ when he took it on. Now he has wandered, vacant, into a shitstorm. By the way, we now have a copy of Hugh Poate’s book. Partner has dibs on reading it first.