Federal Election 2019: Scott Morrison, Bill Shorten get into the spirit of Easter
When Scott Morrison braved the Rock Star ride at Sydney’s Royal Easter Show, the result was simply hilarious. WATCH VIDEO.
Scott Morrison has been swamped at the Royal Easter Show in Sydney by punters keen for a selfie — but not everyone’s a fan.
In Brisbane, Bill Shorten got into the Easter spirit by taking part in an egg hunt with families at a golf course.
The PM and Opposition Leader are spending time with their families after agreeing to halt their federal election campaigns out of respect for Easter Sunday.
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Mr Morrison, wife Jenny and daughters Abbey and Lily, wandered agricultural stalls at the Sydney event before the girls grabbed a fresh lemonade and peeled away.
He was joined by deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack and was quickly surrounded by fans.
One Beverly Hills family, Georgia and Adam Singles with children Madeline, seven, and Patrick, five, were snoozing when the PM arrived for a handshake.
“It was relaxing,” Mrs Singles laughed.
The family say they will vote for the Coalition on May 18.
Quoc Lam and his family — dressed in matching green and gold Australia T-shirts — also posed for a pic.
“Why not,” Mr Lam said when asked if he was voting for Mr Morrison.
“So far, he’s doing a good job.”
But there were some dissenters in the crowd.
“Vote Green,” one woman yelled.
Another woman, watching people line up for photos, remarked she would “rather stick needles in my eyeballs”.
Girlie Godoy, posing for a photo with three-year-old daughter Vica, provided a counter.
“I’m a Liberal,” she said.
Husband Renato added: “They’re good on the economy. Only people who can deliver. “
More than 850,000 people are expected to attend the Royal Easter Show by the time it wraps up on Tuesday.
Meanwhile back in Brisbane, the Labor leader led dozens of children on the egg hunt with wife Chloe and their kids in tow at a Bulimba golf course in the Labor-held electorate of Griffith.
In a lighter moment during what has so far been a tough campaign, Mr Shorten even posed for the cameras with the Easter Bunny.
“Here’s the Easter bunny,” Mr Shorten said to squeals from the children.
He even stopped for a quick bite, tucking into a bucket of hot chips and shaking hands with voters who were eating lunch.
Mr Shorten spoke briefly to journalists as he was leaving, thanking Australians who were working over the Easter long weekend.
“It doesn’t matter what God you worship or if you worship none, a day like today is about family,” he said.
“It’s about having time out to reflect.
“We’re going to go catch up with more of our friends and family.”
The Labor leader will leave Brisbane tonight, but is expected to spend tomorrow in Queensland.
FAMILY TIME ON EASTER SUNDAY
Earlier, the PM paid tribute to the Horizon Church as the “bedrock” of his family, leaving the shire congregation after Easter mass.
Mr Morrison attended the morning service with his family and spoke with parishioners as he exited after senior pastor Brad Bonhomme’s sermon.
“There are a lot of things around the world today, but today is a reminder of a great hope,” Mr Morrison said.
“The reason for that hope is the reason we celebrate today, so it’s a very special time for me and my family but I know people all around the country and in fact all around the world.”
Horizon Church was a “wonderful community”, Mr Morrison said, and a “tremendous support” to him personally.
“This has been the bedrock of our family ever since we moved here many years ago,” Mr Morrison said.
Senior pastor Bonhomme said his Easter message was centred on finding hope after disappointment.
Between 800 to 1000 people attended Horizon this morning, Mr Bonhomme said.
Mr Bonhomme and wife Ali count Jenny and Scott Morrison among their friends.
Mrs Bonhomme described the Morrisons as “good people”, while Mr Bonhomme said the church aimed to give Australia’s leader a sense of normalcy every Sunday.
“We see them as a family,” Mr Bonhomme said.
“Our goal in this is to prove a place where they have the opportunity to express their faith.”
Pentecostalism has grown by more than 30 per cent over the past decade.
Horizon’s website says the church “regularly ministers to well over 2000 people” through services and community programs.
Mr Morrison told the Australian Women’s Weekly in 2015: “My brother and I, we’d never been particularly denominational. We’ve always just liked going to a local community church.”
In Brisbane, Bill Shorten attended a church service in the city’s west, where he was joined by his mother in-law, former governor-general Quentin Bryce.
The Opposition Leader arrived in the battleground state of Queensland yesterday, where Labor is hoping to clinch several marginal seats.
Mr Shorten, his wife Chloe and their three children spent the morning at St Andrew’s Anglican Church in Indooroopilly in the LNP-held electorate of Ryan.
In a brief Easter video message released today, Mr Shorten thanked those who were working over the long weekend.
“We wish you and your loved ones all the best this Easter,” he said.
“For many, Easter is a time that carries deep meaning.
“It is a time for worship, for reflection and a special opportunity for families to come together.”
Mr Shorten arrived in Brisbane on Saturday — the first time he has visited Queensland since the election was called.
Labor is eyeing off several marginal seats in the Sunshine State, including the Brisbane-based electorate of Dickson which is held by Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton by a wafer-thin margin of 1.6 per cent.
The leaders also paused campaigning on Good Friday, although both made public appearances with Mr Morrison attending a church service alongside Tony Abbott and some Labor frontbenchers.
On Saturday, Mr Morrison and his wife Jenny handed out Easter eggs to sick children at Westmead hospital.
He also promised to hand over $100 million for clinical trials in regional Australia that would tackle life-threatening cancers, diseases and conditions and $65 million for a new cystic fibrosis centre at the hospital in Sydney’s west.
“This dedicated unit, the first of its kind anywhere in Australia today, is a big breakthrough for those who have lived with cystic fibrosis, to those who have lost family members and friend, and those who will (be) dealing with it into the future,” Mr Morrison told reporters outside the Westmead hospital.
Labor gave the promised new centre a tick of approval but questioned why the Coalition hadn’t backed its $2.3 billion cancer care plan.
After spending the bulk of the Easter break around Sydney, Mr Morrison is expected to head elsewhere to resume campaigning in earnest.
Originally published as Federal Election 2019: Scott Morrison, Bill Shorten get into the spirit of Easter