Rift? What rift? Morrison and Hawke put their bromance on display

Question time usually puts the prime minister on centre stage: think Paul Keating eviscerating his political opponents or Julia Gillard branding Tony Abbott a misogynist.

Humble backbenchers rarely capture the spotlight, but when the clocks struck 2pm in Parliament House on Tuesday, Scott Morrison and Alex Hawke knew all eyes would be trained on them.

The front pages of The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age had been plastered with stories revealing Hawke had sensationally spoken out against his longtime political patron, accusing Morrison of ignoring good advice and becoming addicted to executive authority.

Hawke and MorrisonCredit: Rhett Wyman

Speaking to journalist Niki Savva for her new book Bulldozed, Hawke even said he believed Morrison should have quit politics after his election loss to avoid becoming embittered. This was a rather awkward thing to say given the pair sit next to each other in House of Representatives.

Hawke, a master of the dark factional arts, had long been Morrison’s loyal wingman, helping him gather the numbers needed to ascend to the prime ministership. Morrison, in turn, promoted Hawke to important frontbench positions.

To see Hawke suddenly bagging Morrison was like watching Robin turn on Batman. Or to see Ernie throw Bert under a bus.

In a strategically timed email, Hawke released a lengthy statement to the media just 15 minutes before question time. It was a classic of the “non-denial denial” genre as Hawke tried to distance himself from his own words without claiming Savva had misquoted him in her book.

Yes, Hawke believed Morrison should not have secretly assumed five extra ministerial portfolios on top of the prime ministership. But he added: “Having known Scott Morrison for many years in many different capacities I have only the highest regard for his character, ability, and service as Prime Minister.”

Question Time offered Hawke and Morrison a chance to put their bromance on public display.

They smiled, they laughed, they whispered. Credit: Rhett Wyman

Ask any of the photographers who have followed Morrison on the campaign trail and they’ll tell you he is one of the most camera-conscious politicians they have ever encountered.

And so it was when Morrison arrived in the chamber and gave Hawke an affectionate pat on the shoulder.

Knowing the journalists and photographers in the public gallery would be scrutinising them for any signs of a rift, the pair were more talkative than usual, chatting conspicuously throughout the afternoon.

Seemingly paying little attention to the questions being asked of the government or answers being given, Hawke regularly showed Morrison his phone screen.

They smiled, they laughed, they whispered.

Had this been a movie Carole King’s song You’ve Got a Friend would have been playing in the background (“Winter, spring, summer or fall/All you have to do is call/ And I’ll be there, yes, I will/ You’ve got a friend”).

There were indications, if you were willing to dabble in body language analysis, of trouble beneath the surface. Morrison often folded his arms, a classic sign of defensiveness.

Hawke, meanwhile, regularly rubbed his outstretched fingers together - a device, some psychologists say, people use to pacify themselves when under stress. His smile often verged on a grimace.

The photos, though, showed them looking like the best of mates. And that’s what mattered.

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