Election 2022: Scott Morrison makes ‘extraordinary’ admission
The PM has made a significant shift in his campaign strategy, pleading with voters that he knows he will “have to change” if re-elected.
Federal Election
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Scott Morrison made a significant admission on Friday, revealing he knows he needs to “change” if he is re-elected as Prime Minister.
Speaking in Melbourne on Friday, Mr Morrison conceded that he “can be a bit of a bulldozer” when it comes to some issues and noted that an adjustment would be needed in the future.
“Over the last three years and particularly the last two, one of the things Australians have needed from me, going through this pandemic has been strength and resilience. Now, I admit that hasn’t enabled Australians to see a lot of other gears in the way I work,” he said at a press conference.
“I know Australians know that I can be a bit of a bulldozer when it comes to issues.
“I suspect you guys know that too,” he added, referring to the media pack.
Mr Morrison said had always thought listening to Australians was incredibly important and has tried to do so throughout this election campaign.
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The PM noted he had worked hard to land “really big security agreements” like the AUKUS deal, saying you had to be “determined” to negotiate major agreements like that.
However, he also conceded that his “bulldozer” strategy wouldn’t always work heading into the future, and specified there were things that he would “have to change” if re-elected.
“As we go into this next period, on the other side of this election, I know there are things that are going to have to change with the way I do thing because we’re moving into a different time,” Mr Morrison said.
“We’re moving into a time of opportunity and working from the strong platform of strength that we’ve built and safe our economy in these last three years.
“We can now take advantage of those opportunities in the future.”
Though, the Prime Minister claimed that “resilience and strength” will still be needed in the future.
The acknowledgment that he would “have to change” marks a significant shift in Mr Morrison’s campaign strategy. He has previously acknowledged that he may not be well-liked, but insisted his popularity “doesn’t matter”.
“You may not like everything we’ve done, you may not like me that much, but that’s not the point,” he told voters earlier in the election campaign.
“When you go to the dentist, it doesn’t matter whether you like him or her. You want to know they’re good at their job.”
Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese was asked about the Prime Minister’s comments at his own press conference.
“I find it quite extraordinary. This government has been there for almost a decade, this Prime Minister has four years in office, and what he’s saying is ‘if you vote for Scott Morrison, I’ll change’. That’s what’ he’s saying, ‘Vote for me and I’ll change’,” Mr Albanese said.
“Well, if you want change, change the government. Because we can’t have three years of more of the same.
“Scott Morrison, if this government is re-elected, will be more arrogant, more out of touch, and will abuse taxpayers’ money and treat it like Liberal Party money, even more so that it has during this term.”
This acknowledgment he needs to change is a major admission from the Prime Minister one week out from the election, with ABC’s Patricia Karvelas also branding the situation “extraordinary”.
“I actually think this is the most significant pivot and press conference by the prime minister of the campaign,” she said on ABC News following the press conference.
“What he has actually said here in this press conference is incredibly significant in terms of the Liberal Party’s messaging.
“The most important sentence I heard from the prime minister and which demonstrates that shift that I talk of, is I know there are things I have to change in how I do things. Wow.”
Karvelas claimed Mr Morrison’s sudden change in messaging today demonstrated “an informed view” going forward and that he is listening to what voters are saying.
“I’ve done quite a bit of research into what voters, undecided voters saying and one of the big, big feedback points has been here we go again, one person described it as to me, more of the same from Scott Morrison. That he’s negative and it’s all more of the same. You get more the same if you vote for him,” she said.
“So what the prime minister is doing in this press conference is pivoting and changing his language for re-election. And it’s a significant shift. It’s not a small shift.”
During the press conference, Mr Morrison also noted how he had been changing the way Australia interacts with neighbours in the Pacific.
In the past, Australia has “acted like a bit of a colonial overlord” and “stomped around”, he claimed.
“As I have with many of the Pacific leaders, I have sought to change the way that we deal with the Pacific. You’ve heard me mention it on so many occasions, I think Pacific leaders should be treated as equals and as family working together to address the national security issues,” he said.
“Which is why when these issues come up, when those threats come up, and when I engage with the civic leaders, they know I’m doing that out of a shared concern.”
Originally published as Election 2022: Scott Morrison makes ‘extraordinary’ admission
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