Samantha Maiden: Naturally, the Prime Minister observed it was a case of sour grapes after she lost her preselection

The PM wanted to take out the trash. Instead he’s defending himself after an unprecedented savaging from his own side, writes Samantha Maiden.

The end of the parliamentary term is a moment for settling political scores.

For Prime Minister Scott Morrison, those scores included taking out the “trash” – enemies in the Liberal Party who he doesn’t count as friends.

That was the fate of former Liberal frontbencher Senator Concetta Fierravanti-Wells this week, whose career was terminated by 500 preselectors over the weekend.

But, as Sir Isaac Newton famously observed: “For every action, there is a reaction.”

For Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese, the score settling involved delaying the preselection of two Victorian senators seen as close to his leadership rival Bill Shorten.

The Victorians targeted were Senator Kim Carr, who quit politics this week, and the late senator Kimberley Kitching, whose claims of bullying have roared from the grave after her tragic death this month.

For the outgoing NSW Senator Fierravanti-Wells, there were also actions and reactions.

They included one of the most stunning demolitions of the Prime Minister’s character ever conducted under parliamentary privilege on budget night.

Senator Fierravanti-Wells used parliamentary privilege to call Mr Morrison an “autocrat and a bully” who “backstabbed his enemies” and lacked “a moral compass”.

“In my public life I have met ruthless people. Morrison tops the list, followed closely by (Immigration Minister Alex) Hawke,’’ she said.

“Morrison is not fit to be Prime Minister and Hawke certainly is not fit to be a minister.”

“He is adept at running with the foxes and hunting with the hounds, lacking the moral compass and having no conscience.”

Senator Concetta Anna Fierravanti-Wells. Picture: Gary Ramage

In case it needs repeating, that’s a Liberal senator talking.

Naturally, the Prime Minister observed it was a case of sour grapes after she lost her preselection.

“There are many disappointments in political life and you know, when you’re prime minister, people hold you responsible for many, many things,’’ he said.

“There were 500 members who came together. I wasn’t there.”

But there’s no doubt the claims were an unwelcome distraction as he hit the airwaves to sell the budget – including that 22c cut to petrol excise and a $1500 tax cut for working Australians.

That’s what he wanted to talk about.

Instead, Mr Morrison was also grilled on the NSW senator’s claims that when he was trying to enter politics he privately criticised a rival because he was Lebanese.

In her blistering late-night attack, the NSW senator unloaded on the PM and the NSW Liberal Party, suggesting the “stench of corruption” now emanated from the organisation.

“Accordingly, there are a few matters I wish to place on the record before my departure. Many in this place are aware of the history I’ve had with Scott Morrison,’’ she said.

“Let me give some clarity and context to that history, so there can be no misunderstanding.”

She then claimed under parliamentary privilege that the prime minister had expressed concern about a Lebanese person in Cook.

“I’m advised that there were several statutory declarations to attest to racial comments made by Morrison, at the time, that we can’t have a Lebanese person in Cook,’’ she said.

The Prime Minister was forced to deny the claims on Sydney radio.

“That’s rubbish,’’ Mr Morrison said.

“She’s made that up?’’ Fordham responded.

“It’s not true,’’ he replied.

Meanwhile, South Australian Senator Rex Patrick was throwing some grenades of his own, aimed at his former mentor Nick Xenophon.

He also used parliamentary privilege to blast his former boss Mr Xenophon and his work for China’s Huawei.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison during Question Time in the House of Representatives in Parliament House Canberra. Picture: Gary Ramage

Former Senator Nick Xenophon handing out election pamphlets in Rundle Mall to drum up support for his latest federal Senate bid. Picture: Brenton Edwards

He described it as “choosing to do PR work for the German companies Krupp or Messerschmitt in 1938”.

Mr Xenophon of course worked as strategic counsel for the Chinese telco, which was banned from Australia’s 5G contract on national security grounds.

“While working for Huawei, Mr Xenophon did not register it with the Australian Foreign Influence Transparency Scheme,” Senator Patrick said.

“In this, he appears to have relied on the exemption for persons providing legal advice to foreign organisations and a claim that he was not directly lobbying government ministers.

“However, the work that Xenophon Davis did for Huawei appears to have been largely in the public relations field and directed towards influencing the federal government to reopen the door for Huawei to infiltrate Australia’s 5G telecommunications network.”

Senator Xenophon described Senator Patrick’s observations as “miserable”.

“I want to act for the needs of South Australians – Rex wants to play out his war fantasies,’’ he said.

Former colleagues of Senator Xenophon are lining up to take potshots now that he’s announced his re-entry to politics. And they have plenty to say.

Expect more to come, as they say in the classics, on that battlefront.