‘Talk like an adult’: Politician slams Michael Slater over Scott Morrison attack

Michael Slater is copping backlash from Scott Morrison’s friends after the cricketer doubled down on a savage attack on the Prime Minister.

Agriculture Minister David Littleproud hit back at Michael Slater after the former Test cricketer attacked Scott Morrison for not allowing Australians to fly home from India.

Slater was commentating in the Indian Premier League (IPL) but has fled to the Maldives as the country’s COVID-19 situation worsens, awaiting clearance to return to Australia following the end of a travel ban, which was last week put in place until at least May 15.

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Earlier this week Slater blasted threats of jail time and fines for returning Aussies as a “disgrace” and said the Prime Minister has “blood on your hands”. He continued his assault in a barrage of tweets on Wednesday night, defending himself against accusations of “greed over common sense”.

“Amazing to smoke out the PM on a matter that is a human crisis. The panic, the fear of every Australian in India is real!! How about you take your private jet and come and witness dead bodies on the street!” Slater wrote.

“Your government granted me permission to work so I can pay for 3 beautiful children through school and pay a mortgage. So where does common sense lie. Not on my end!

“I challenge you to a debate anytime PM.”

Morrison said on Tuesday Slater’s criticism was “absurd” and on Thursday morning, Littleproud said the cricket great “needs to get over himself”.

“He is acting like a spoiled prat,” Littleproud said. “No one’s underestimating the harrowing impacts on the Indian people, or on the Australians that are stuck there, but the Australian Government’s primary responsibility is to keep its people safe.

“Sometimes we have to make tough decisions for the greater good.

“Michael Slater can sit on the beach and slam us over here in Australia.

“These are tough decisions and we’re very empathetic with not only Australians there, but also those thousands of Indians that are dying every day.

“Wake up. If you want to have an adult conversation, talk like an adult.”

Michael Slater (right) teed off while Ricky Ponting waits to find out how he’s getting home.

CA make plans as IPL suspended

The IPL has been suspended after multiple cases of coronavirus were reported among players, staff and TV camera crew, as the league’s bio-secure bubble was breached on multiple fronts.

That left 38 Australian players, coaches, commentators and umpires stuck in limbo as they isolated in India. However, Cricket Australia announced at a press conference on Wednesday afternoon all the Aussies involved would be flying out of India within 48 hours.

Speaking to reporters at the SCG, CA chief executive Nick Hockley explained the BCCI’s plan to help repatriate the Australians — including David Warner, Pat Cummins, Steve Smith, Glenn Maxwell and Ricky Ponting — as quickly and safely as possible.

“What the BCCI are hoping to do is move the entire cohort out of India, where they will wait until it’s possible to return to Australia,” Hockley said.

“The BCCI are working on a range of options — that’s been narrowed down to the Maldives and Sri Lanka. The BCCI are working through the finer details of that at the moment.

“We expect that that move will happen within the next two to three days.

“We’re in very regular dialogue (with the players) … their welfare is our absolute No. 1 priority.”

Australian Cricketers’ Association chief executive Todd Greenberg elaborated: “This is a two-step process — the first step is getting them out of India, and the second step will be getting them safely home.

“We’re still waiting on what the Government will do post-May 15. Once we have that confirmation, we will put the next parts of the steps in place.”

David Warner’s daughters want him to come home.

No special treatment but all options on the table

Morrison specified last week that the Australian cricketers in India would not be shown preferential treatment because they were not representing their country at the IPL.

Hockey emphasised that no shortcuts would be taken, and CA would not be seeking special exemptions.

However, Greenberg said if the opportunity to return the Australians home on a chartered flight presented itself, they would not shy away from it.

“They always knew when they’d have to do isolation when they came back into the country. They didn’t expect the borders to be closed, and that created some anxiety for them,” Greenberg said.

“They’re very hopeful that the Government will reopen after the 15th, but we’re under no illusion that’s the decision the Government has to make.

“The public will see our best Australian athletes as superheroes. They’re brilliant athletes and great cricketers, but they’re human beings. They’re people.

“Some of them are husbands and fathers, and they’re under enormous amounts of stress over there.

“This will be an experience that they probably will never forget.”

Originally published as ‘Talk like an adult’: Politician slams Michael Slater over Scott Morrison attack