Scott Morrison Tries to Talk Policy. But Leadership Aftermath Still Front and Centre
Prime Minister Scott Morrison was able to express his views on a number of key policy areas and issues in a wide ranging interview with Alan Jones on Radio 2GB Sydney yesterday. Morrison was pressed by Jones about withdrawing from the Paris Climate Accord but said he did not believe it would make any difference to electricity prices “Well, I’m not convinced changing it makes any difference one way or another Alan, that’s the bottom line”.
Morrison stressed that his climate and energy policies were more responsible than Labor’s and did not support a 50% renewable energy target and 45% Paris emissions reduction target. He further stated that his new Energy Minister Angus Taylor’s sole responsibility was to get energy prices down and that “I’m not climate warrior… what I’m about is getting people’s electricity prices down”. Morrison also spoke about how he wanted to keep coal fired power plants to implement the recommendations of the ACCC report into the energy market. He is also still open to Royal Commission into electricity prices.
Morrison was also asked about the vile Father’s Day tweet sent out by Victorian secretary CFEMU John Setka which showed his children holding up a message to the Australian Building and Construction Commission which read ‘Go Get Fu*ked’. He called it “one of the ugliest things” he’d seen in politics and would “of course” considered de-registering CFEMU. Shorten responded he didn’t condone the tweet and was glad it had been deleted but claimed Morrison is “looking about issues to talk about other than his day job”.
Jones also asked Morrison about the Respectful Relationships program that is being taught in Victoria which is promoted as an anti-domestic violence program but involves children learning about sexual promiscuity through different scenarios. Morrison said programs like this and Safe Schools made his “skin curl” and was why he sent his daughters to a private school so they were not taught “the values of others”.
Later that morning Scott Morrison appeared on 2GB’s Melbourne sister station 3AW with Neil Mitchell. Mitchell asked him about the most pressing issue in the city which is the Sudanese crime wave which struck again last Saturday night with over 200 youths of African appearance rioted in the inner Melbourne suburb of Collingwood with police making no arrests. Morrison commented “I feel for Victorians who are asking the big question, why is this happening in our city, and not in other places?” and the cause was “a law and order problem, clearly in Victoria”.
Mitchell then decided to turn to the topic of gay conversion therapy as a petition has been circulating online which has 44,000 calling for the therapy to be banned. Morrison refused to be drawn into the debate “I respect people of all sexualities, I respect people of all religions, all faiths. I love all Australians,” and that “People should make their own choices about their lives and “it’s just not an issue for me and I’m not planning to get engaged in the issue.”
While Morrison yesterday was able to focus on policy issues today the conversation has turned back to the aftermath of the leadership spills which saw him ascend to the Prime Ministership. Four female Liberal MPs Julia Banks, Kelly O’Dwyer, Linda Reynolds and Lucy Gichuhi have accused the Dutton camp of using bullying and intimidation to obtain votes. There have also been leaks against Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton about his ministerial intervention in the visa cases of au pairs.
Morrison said he wants to focus on the Australia people and not dwell on what he called the ‘Muppet Show’ but its clear other Liberal MPs have other ideas with the leaks and accusations from the Turnbull side continuing.
