Exclusive interview: Scott Morrison tells why he is happy with post-PM life

Nine months after losing the federal election, former PM Scott Morrison is at peace with the new chapter in his life, saying “it’s nice being back part of normal suburban life again”. Find out what he’s been up to.

Scott Morrison has a simple message for his critics: “If people are thinking I’m sitting here rocking myself to sleep at night in the foetal position, no, I’m not.”

Nine months after defeat the ex-PM is comfortable, relaxed and “chilled”, in the words of one of his former staff.

In his first interview with The Sunday Telegraph since then, Mr Morrison makes it clear he is at peace with the fact that his time at the top is over.

“You have seasons in life, and you’re thankful for them,” he said.

“But they’re not who you are, who we are doesn’t change and I’ve been blessed with an amazing family and friends, and we’ve always sort of kept our feet on the ground.”

His chance to be prime minister was something he and wife Jenny, “greatly appreciated”.

“I felt, we gave it everything we had and never wasted a day. But when that season ends, well that season ends,” Mr Morrison said.

Former PM Scott Morrison with some constituents at Cronulla.

He is now enjoying his more relaxed life since leaving The Lodge.

It’s a fulfilment of a pledge before last year’s election that having done his best he could see no reason to “leave bitter”.

“The Shire has thrown its arms around us and it’s been quite a pleasant time to sort of re-engage,” he said.

“Being back in connection with our local community, our local church, our friends, our kids’ school and local neighbourhood, all of this is as we hoped would be and it’s been a very warm reception.”

The controversy over the revelation he had secretly sworn himself in to multiple ministries hasn’t affected the homecoming.

“Well, all I have received here was enormous support,” he said.

“And wherever I went, I received enormous support, which I’m grateful for, and I just sought to rise above it.

“And the only comment I made, and will remain the only comment made, was what I did in the parliamentary chamber.”

Mr Morrison is relishing the extra time to spend with wife Jenny and their daughters Abbey and Lily — as well as dog Buddy. Picture: Jason Edwards

He had no intention, he said, of re-entering political debate.

“I do have a strong view that the things that I should comment on now as a former prime minister, is just to speak to what we did,” he said.

“I don’t do that, I don’t believe, in a partisan way at all. I have not been critical of the government. I’ve given them the courtesy and the respect of having been elected to get on with the job.

“It’s just nice being back part of normal suburban life again.

“People come up to me every day and kindly say thank you, not just for Covid, but particularly around international issues, AUKUS, China, all of these things.”

His life now, he says, is similar to how it was when he was first a backbencher — driving the kids to school and taking meetings in his electorate office.

The local MP says he has been warmly welcomed back into the local community.

“I’ve done a lot of reading,” he said.

“I’ve been reading a lot of Christian books and I’ve been going back into Rabbi Sacks’ work, he wrote a great book on science and religion.

“I’ve been consuming Jonathan Haidt. And I’d never read Jordan Peterson’s book, I found that really interesting.”

He has also relished the chance to spend more time in church.

“I’m sort of connected back in my local church, again, a lot more getting involved there more than I’ve had the opportunity to do in a very long time and enjoying that (including some lay preaching), and just being able to go back to being a local member in a community that was enormously loyal to me over a long period of time.”

He shies away from the suggestion he might be happier now.

“Well, I think I always largely am. But that’s a function of more of a spiritual conversation,” he said.

“That’s always been the secret, for me and Jenny and our family life is it’s firmly rooted in our faith.”

ScoMo has built a social media following of fans keen to watch his cooking.

Only Sir Robert Menzies has ever left the PM’s office at a time of his own choosing.

“When I think of the really difficult periods over 70 years ago — you’ve got to remember Curtin and Lyon died in office, those guys who dealt with the Second World War and the Depression … so I’m pleased that as a relatively young man in my mid-50s, that I’m just taking the time as the Member for Cook and not feeling any great rush or under any pressure to make any imminent decisions.”

One continuity with his time as PM is the national interest in his cooking on social media.

“It’s sort of funny wherever I go … people say, oh, please keep posting your curry and I do,” he says.

“I love doing it. And people remember. I was up in Cairns once and I put my stuff through security. And the guy looks up to me and said, ‘that curry you made the other night looked really good’.

“I get it a lot. And that’s probably the main thing people keep following me on my social media (for) because they just ask and it’s no skin off my nose. I’m cooking it anyway so I may as well pop it up.”

He has also found time to watch TV.

“I’m a big streamer,” he said.

“I just finished watching Hunters on Prime, which is a drama about Nazi hunters with Al Pacino. I really enjoyed it.

“I haven’t sent the link to (former treasurer) Josh (Frydenberg) yet. Be right, right up his alley.”

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Originally published as Exclusive interview: Scott Morrison tells why he is happy with post-PM life