Michael McGuire: It’s hard to read any desire in Scott Morrison except for a desire to remain in the job

It’s hard to read any desire in Scott Morrison except a desire to keep his job. The closer you look at him, the less you see, writes Michael McGuire.

In some ways, it’s hard to define why Scott Morrison is in politics.

What is he here for? What’s his mission? What does he want to achieve?

It might seem an odd thing to ask about the Prime Minister. He’s the nation’s top politician after all. Our leader. In his chosen profession, he has flown as high as it’s possible to go. But perhaps there is a difference between being good at politics and being a leader.

Though, maybe there is something of the mountaineer in Morrison. When the famous old climber George Mallory was asked why was climbing Mount Everest, he reportedly replied: “Because it’s there.’’

Why did Morrison want to become prime minister? “Because it’s there.’’

There is, though, a difference between climbing mountains and climbing the greasy pole. Reaching the top of the mountain is the end in itself. Becoming prime minister, on the other hand, should just be the start of the journey.

There should be a logic, some guiding principles, some sense of service and some desire to change the nation for the better. To leave it in better shape that you found it.

It’s hard to read any of that in Morrison. His immediate predecessors – Turnbull, Abbott, Rudd, Gillard, Howard – were all variously flawed. But you always had a strong idea of what they wanted to achieve.

It’s hard to read any desire in Morrison except for a desire to remain in the job. The closer you look at Scott Morrison, the less you see.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison delivers the Royal Commission Report into Aged Care during at Kirribilli House. Picture: Jenny Evans/Getty Images

Of course, he’s not alone. Politics has been affected by short-termism for quite a while. We live in a constant campaign bubble. Everything is seen through the prism of winning the day and winning the week. Of plotting a way to the next election and not a day beyond.

It’s why Labor had three prime ministers in two terms. It’s why the Liberals matched that feat.

It’s why it’s hard to believe much will really change in aged care, despite the damning findings of this week’s royal commission. That’s a fix that will take years and years. Morrison looked unhappy talking about it on Monday, ensured journalists had as little information as possible before quizzing him, and it would seem unlikely he has the ambition to see the project through.

Morrison wants the glory of the job but not its responsibilities. It’s why he does so many PR stunts, building chook sheds, cooking curries, having gym workouts photographed, going to the beach last weekend.

It’s why his famous utterance since becoming Prime Minister is: “I don’t hold a hose, mate’’.

Morrison has an aversion to leading in difficult circumstances. Perhaps you could make a case for COVID-19 but he handed over most of the work to the states and refused to take responsibility for quarantine.

His handling of the rape allegations made by former Liberal staffer Brittany Higgins, and a different one against one of his Cabinet colleagues, has been an exercise in sweeping the dirt under the carpet.

At a time when strong, decisive, dignified leadership could have made such a difference to women and to society, he has hidden away. Worse, he has not looked particularly interested.

There is no doubt the quality of federal political leadership has been on the downswing for a while now. If Morrison is a bloke with no fixed beliefs, his Labor counterpart Anthony Albanese is someone trying to run away from any beliefs his party may once have had.

Labor lost the last election because it promoted a set of policies that were seen as too radical and left the sell to Bill Shorten, who was not up to the job. Anthony Albanese’s lesson from the last election is to do as little as possible and hope to sneak by upsetting as few people as possible. Albanese’s leadership to date has only proved one thing. Someone else should be in charge.

There is every chance Morrison will call an early election this year. He knows Albanese is weak, there is residual feel-good factor from Australia’s handling of COVID and the economy is improving. But possibly the strongest indication that there will be an election this year is that Morrison has already ruled it out.