I was so incensed with some politician’s behaviour that I opined online that they were “as genuine as a black snake”, an old simile from my younger days. Someone retorted that snakes are lovely and to use that phrase is unfair. I replied that it was all I could think of at the time, as I was typing with my fists. They seemed to accept that. Snakes don’t frighten me because, being a geologist, I have bumped into them when doing field work. However, I tend to give them a wide berth, just in case they perceive me as a threat and get a bit aggressive.
Morrison demonstrated faux sympathy for Brittany Higgins but could seemingly only do so when relating it to his own daughters. Such ‘sympathy’ was not because he is human, but because he is a father of daughters; it is all about him1. However, there was little sympathy for Christian Porter’s accuser, where Morrison effectively called her a liar when he exonerated Porter, by declaring him “innocent”. Morrison also said that Porter would remain in his post as Attorney General2. Then there was the March For Justice by many tens of thousands of people, overwhelmingly women. Morrison’s Trumpian non-appearance at that march on the pretext of ‘security issues’ went over like a lead balloon, especially when juxtaposed against the attendance of then Prime Minister John Howard at a rally of gun owners whining about the post-Port Arthur gun control measures. Morrison asked a delegation from the March For Justice to meet him in Parliament House. The organisers of the march wisely refused, because they realised that it was all about Morrison wanting to take control of the narrative by getting a small delegation to meet him and his minders where he could call the tune and, if necessary, intimidate them3.
The attitude of the government to this march and its causes was exemplified by the fact that even the part time ‘Minister for Women’, Marise Payne, did not attend the march. This non-attendance of Morrison and Payne was such a glaring error of judgement, that something had to be done. So, what did Morrison do? More window-dressing. He has elevated Liberal MPs to ‘Minister for Women’s Safety’ and ‘Minister for Women’s Economic Security’, and all women in the ministry will now form a ‘women’s taskforce’. In an extraordinary demonstration of Morrison’s tone-deafness, Marise Payne, one of the few moderates remaining with any power, was referred to as the ‘Prime Minister for Women’. However, after a female journalist pointed out that Morrison’s position would then be ‘Prime Minister for Men’, Payne’s position was quickly amended to ‘primary minister for women’4. I wonder if this new title will make Payne more likely to attend the next March For Justice; for there will be more.
The reason I believe this is simply window dressing is because that is, in part, all Morrison does. He lies, obfuscates and does things solely for appearances. I suspect he doesn’t want to be seen to be doing anything serious for the betterment of women, because men who have his sort of archaic attitudes to women are one of Morrison’s target demographics.
So, maybe I’ll stop insulting the much maligned Pseudechis porphyriacus and use Morrison’s name instead.
Sources
- https://blotreport.com/2021/03/23/lightbulb-moment/
- https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2021/mar/10/scott-morrison-declares-christian-porter-innocent-and-says-he-will-remain-in-role
- https://thenewdaily.com.au/news/politics/australian-politics/2021/03/21/march-4-justice-scott-morrison/
- https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/7192967/across-australia-women-are-calling-the-prime-ministers-bluff/
Yes to all you have written, as usual. Morrison is no snake. I have actually been bitten by a black snake. A red bellied black snake to be precise. Almost exactly seven years ago. Had to have a trip to ICU but, fortunately, it was a dry bite with only a small amount of dead tissue on my foot, and no major problems. The snake was just doing it’s thing when I stupidly trod on it, not looking where I was going, wearing thongs. Not smart. I still like snakes. The difference between Morrison and snakes is that snakes are what they seem to be, mostly timid, very beautiful, important parts of our ecological systems. Morrison is boastful, ugly and harmful to our ecological systems. I do not like him. So he is certainly no snake.
Mark,
Jeez. As I said, I have bumped into snakes quite a few times over the years, but never had a dangerous encounter with them. Some have been funny and scary, but not dangerous. I think that is what my interlocutor was on about; you see a snake and you know precisely what it is about. That is not true of Morrison. He is a shifty as a dunny rat (bugger, there I go again, maligning animals!).
Chuckle😊
Liar, liar pants on fire……..
Interesting that ex Aus Post CEO Christine Holgate has informed a Senate inquiry that she didn’t resign but was pushed out, which is completely at odds to how Morrison has portrayed it publicly. She also accused AP Chairman Lucio Di Bartolomeo of lying.
Morrison’s comments in Parliament speak for themselves and yet again show his willingness to play loose with the truth: “We are the shareholders of Australia Post on behalf of the Australian people … [Holgate] has been instructed to stand aside. If she doesn’t wish to do that, she can go.” He now insists that Holgate made the decision to leave Australia Post herself despite her detailed submission to the Senate that says otherwise. Bookies have Morrison’s version at 100/1 and blowing in a two horse race.
Extract from the following web article: https://www.news.com.au/finance/work/at-work/scott-morrison-rejects-christine-holgate-submission-says-she-decided-to-quit/news-story/9e955c2713e7c472f242a0681882b9d9
“In a written submission to a Senate enquiry Ms Holgate claimed she was “treated like a criminal” by Australia Post chairman Lucio Di Bartolomeo and alleged she was hounded out of the role.
“The chair of Australia Post not only unlawfully stood me down, he lied repeatedly to the Australian people and to their parliament about his actions,” she said in her submission.
“Time after time he has made statements that I had agreed to stand down when I had done no such thing. The evidence in this submission is irrefutable, and I urge you to read it in full.”
Jaqueline Maley also highlighted Morrison’s hypocrisy in this telling opinion piece (ignoring the reality TV guff): https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/mps-a-protected-species-floating-high-above-a-rising-tide-of-accountability-20210409-p57hx2.html
Extract: “The Canberra press gallery was briefed on how personally outraged the PM was about this Marie Antoinette-esque profligacy. The PM was “appalled and shocked”, he said. He sputtered with indignation as he thundered in the House in October last year: “We are the shareholders of Australia Post on behalf of the Australian people … [Holgate] has been instructed to stand aside. If she doesn’t wish to do that, she can go.” As The Australian reported at the time: “There are expectations within the government Ms Holgate will not return.”
Maley goes on to give examples of the vastly different treatment of Holgate, and Morrison’s ministry mates when they transgress.
Greens Sarah Hanson-Young also got it right when she pointed out the obvious incongruity in Morrison’s reactions and subsequent actions when confronted with accusations against his mates – many of whom have been accused of FAR greater transgressions than Holgate’s.
“The Morrison government has a track record of throwing women under the bus to save their own necks in a crisis while going to extraordinary lengths to protect the blokes in the boys club. When it comes to serious allegations of misconduct against his male cabinet members his strategy is deflect and defend.”
I suppose we should be grateful that in Holgate’s case Morrison didn’t need to consult Jenny, or draw on his father’s experiences as a copper. Every cloud as they say.
Some might say Morrison’s actions and constant deflection suggest ingrained duplicity, others that Morrison’s evil marketing persona takes over whenever he’s under pressure, but I think he simply has no understanding of his own hypocritical behaviour in dealing with others.
Jon,
Malignant narcissists rarely do understand themselves. Other people exist solely for the malignant narcissist’s benefit.
on the Holgate(Gate) issue, (or non issue of $12k.. gimmie a break), the watches thing was simply a fiction (in regards to her removal). I suspect the real issue was revenge & payback for Christine’s vigorous (& so far successful) resistance to the IPA/Murdoch/LNP putsch to dismantle and privatize AusPost. This was simply Moriscum at his duplicitous and petty best. I do like the way she has woven bullying & misogyny (&bastard liars) into the narrative, allowing the revenge aspect to be on a slow burn, hoping as i am that the lazy arsed, ‘trained’ MSM pick up on it, although i hold no great hope. but.. i gotta say “well played kiddo” 😀
Clive,
I think the Holgate affair was at the time a fortuitous distraction from some other cockup by Morrison. It must be funny being a fly on the wall in their spin meetings, watching them trying to work out if they can distract the gullible media from a major cockup with a lesser cockup. I wonder if they have a cockup spreadsheet scoring system so, if something goes arse-up, they can distract the muppets in the media with a cockup that scores less on the cockup spreadsheet.