Prime Minister Scott Morrison washes apprentice’s hair during Melbourne visit

A bizarre stunt by the Prime Minister at a hair salon has attracted criticism over the timing of his pre-campaign visit.

Scott Morrison has washed a young woman’s hair during a whistlestop tour of Melbourne’s southeast as he tries to woo voters before the election.

The Prime Minister carried out the unusual tactic at Cocos Salon in Mount Eliza, donning an apron before taking over at the basin.

First-year apprentice Courtnie Trotter was on the receiving end of Mr Morrison’s hair-washing skills as he massaged shampoo into her hair.

“That’s not too hard is it?” the Prime Minister asked about the washing technique.

“No, that’s fine,” Ms Trotter replied.

The 22-year-old said Mr Morrison’s visit was an “exciting” highlight for the first year of her apprenticeship.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison meets locals at Coco's Hair Salon. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Andrew Henshaw

“I’m not used to something like that and it was quite exciting. Getting him to wash my hair was quite fun,” she said.

Ms Trotter was also favourable about the Prime Minister’s washing skills.

“And if politics doesn’t work out for him, he could definitely come and wash some hair,” she said.

“He seems like an easy going guy but I didn’t really have an opinion on him before.”

Mr Morrison then set off for KOR Equipment Solutions an equipment supplier in Mulgrave, to promote how the Coalition is focused on job creation and skills training ahead of the election.

He said the Coalition was focused on cutting taxes, and investment in whatever skills were needed in Australia’s post-pandemic economy.

First-year apprentice Courtnie Trotter was on the receiving end of Mr Morrison’s hair-washing skills. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Andrew Henshaw

“This is a government, my government, our government, that is ensuring that dealing with the skills and training needs of our workforce is at the top of our economic reform agenda,” Mr Morrison said.

The Prime Minister acknowledged there was a “crisis in aged care and confirmed he was considering sending in the ADF to help solve problems in nursing homes.

“We will keep working with the industry and our ministers are working closely with industry, and we will keep getting the PPE upgrades, keep getting the rapid antigen tests out there, keep supporting them with the surge workforce and additional payments to keep the staff there,” he said.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison after touring the KOR Equipment Solutions facility at Mulgrave. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Andrew Henshaw

It comes after a horror week for the Liberals in the wake of the party’s worst Newspoll since the 2018 leadership change.

On a two-party-preferred basis, Newspoll gave Labor a winning margin of 56-44, it's the largest against the Coalition since September 2018.

The poll’s results concluded Labor win in a landslide against the Morrison Government if the results were replication on polling day with the potential loss of up to 25 seats.

Originally published as Prime Minister Scott Morrison washes apprentice’s hair during Melbourne visit