Scott Morrison sure of holding the line

Scott Morrison believes he has out-campaigned Labor in the past six weeks and is quietly confident about Victorian seats despite what Newspoll says about the party’s primary vote.

Scott Morrison might not win today but he believes he has out-campaigned Labor these past six weeks.

Speaking to the Herald Sun on Thursday night as he flew from Brisbane to Townsville, the Prime Minister made it clear he is happy about what he has achieved since he took over last August.

“I cannot tell you a soul who last year thought that this is where the election would be now,” he said.

“When I took over the Prime Ministership, I knew what the path was — it wasn’t an easy one but it was certainly there in my view and it just required a discipline and unity and a single minded purpose to ensure that we stayed on that track the entire time.”

As has been predicted ever since the Liberals’ Spring St wipe-out last November, this election has been all about Victoria — the first time that has happened since 1993.

And despite Newspoll putting the Coalition’s primary vote at 36 per cent in Victoria, Morrison is adamant the votes it does have are where they need to be.

Scott Morrison with Warren Mundine during a visit to the Bomaderry Bowling Club outside of Nowra, NSW. Picture: Gary Ramage

“La Trobe, Deakin — Labor thought they’d be winning 5 percent margins,” he said.

“I could say I’d rather be us than them 10 days out of 10 in both seats. Why? Because (Michael) Sukkar and Woody (Jason Wood) have done the work.”

Morrison seems unimpressed at what he has seen of Victorian Labor this campaign.

“Labor has sought to really surge in Victoria (in fact) all of their campaign strategy was based on this surge in Victoria — well one day out they’re not counting very high.

“In fact they would be struggling to count to one and it’s not even a seat we have a member in at the moment which is Chisholm.

The Prime Minister is banking on Labor getting huge swings in Liberal seats close to the CBD where they won’t do much good because the incumbent MPs’ margins are so high but failing on getting the smaller swings they need in outer suburban seats.

Scott Morrison campaigns during a visit at a retiree forum.

Jenny Morrison and Scott Morrison hope to remain in the Lodge.

“There’s no doubt we’re taking haircuts in some seats in Victoria but that doesn’t translate into loss of a seat,” he said.

He is confident the same situation applied in other states too.

“I’ve done the maths, do they have more targets? Yes they do, can they hit them? No, I don’t think they can.

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“Because up in Queensland they have retreated below the Brisbane line. In NSW we’re doing well in Reid, we’re doing well in Lindsay — they’ve got a good incumbent in Macquarie — that wasn’t something that we had really factored in but it was one that you could have a crack at. Dobell is a bit the same but I don’t have expectations there. Cowper we can hold. Farrer — yes. Indi we can take.”

The Prime Minister takes a simple view of what Australians want from their politicians: “governments who do their job.

“I explained it to a publican the other night like this: I go into a pub …. I don’t go in there and engage in a long conversation and have a strong view about how he should be running his back end house and what level his kegs are and what his staff rotations are for that night, I couldn’t care less. When I turn up, I’ll say ‘I would like a Furphy thanks’ and it turns up cold.

“I think Australians expect that of me as their Prime Minister. Don’t tell me and drive me nuts — just do your job and let me do mine and get on with my life. “

Originally published as Scott Morrison sure of holding the line