Federal Budget 2018: Treasurer Scott Morrison slams Nationals leader Michael McCormack
TREASURER Scott Morrison this morning rejected claims there was confusion around the government’s budget message as he laughed about the Daily Telegraph’s ‘Santa ScoMo’ front pages.
NSW
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UPDATE: Treasurer Scott Morrison this morning rejected claims there was confusion around the government’s budget message.
When asked to make clear what sort of “Santa” he was, he would not directly answer the question.
It comes after Acting Prime Minister Michael McCormack labelled Morrison “Scott Santa Claus Morrison” who would deliver an unprecedented budget spend on infrastructure.
“I think everybody has had their fun when it comes to Santa analogies — my kids particularly enjoy The Telegraph’s front pages,” he told reporters during a press conference.
“So it’s all a lot of fun and I think none of us take ourselves that seriously and like to have a good chuckle about it. But the serious message is the one I’ve just talked about, and that is the government takes its responsibilities in how we acquit ourselves on taxpayers money very very seriously.
“We’re ensuring on this budget that we continue to live within our means.”
MORRISON LASHES ACTING PM IN LATE NIGHT CALL
A FURIOUS Scott Morrison reprimanded Michael McCormack in a late night phone call after discovering the acting prime minister had used his first interview on the job to label the Treasurer Santa Claus with a big bag of Budget “goodies” to hand out.
Mr Morrison is understood to have phoned Mr McCormack about 11pm on Monday, just as the Nationals leader officially took the reigns of the country, to express a high-degree of concern with comments he made to The Daily Telegraph earlier in the day.
Mr McCormack described Mr Morrison and the government’s spending program in next month’s Budget in colourful language referencing Christmas and handing out gifts — comments at odds with the government’s message of fiscal discipline.
Mr Morrison followed up the late-night phone call with a public rebuke of Mr McCormack yesterday, saying: “I’m not Santa Claus and I’m not bringing a bag of gifts in May and there won’t be any Christmas in May.”
“The Grinch won’t be making an appearance either,” he added. Mr Morrison said the May 8 Budget would be economically responsible and exercise spending restraint while also delivering tax relief to middle-income earners.
He promised, however, that the budget would include major spending on infrastructure.
“He (Mr McCormack) was enthusiastic about the important investments that have been made in infrastructure but I’m sure he would agree with me that our Budget will be one that lives within its means and focus on a stronger economy to deliver those essential services,” Mr Morrison said.
The exchange exposed fresh tensions at senior levels of the Turnbull government, as the man elevated to the post of deputy prime minister less than two months ago appeared to speak at odds with the most senior economic minister.
Mr McCormack, who is filling in for Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull while he is overseas attending Commonwealth Heads of Government Meetings, described the treasurer as “Scott Santa Claus Morrison” who would hand down an “infrastructure budget” with a “record spend” and “goodies” for everyone.
The comments, accompanied by an image of Mr Morrison dressed as Santa Claus, riled the Treasurer who was concerned they would raise public expectations of a big-spending Budget — a sensitive point after the government raised its debt ceiling to more than $500 billion.
Mr McCormack, who sits on Cabinet’s Expenditure Review Committee that signs off on the Budget, said there would be a “record spend” on roads and rail.
Infrastructure projects expected to be allocated funding include the Western Sydney Rail, the North South Rail, the Pacific Highway and inland rail.
Mr McCormack refused to retract his comments yesterday despite Mr Morrison’s rebuke. “Scott Morrison says it’s not going to be a Santa Claus Budget, to that end, I know, I agree,” he told Chris Kenny on 2GB.
“He says it’s going to be an economically sound and fiscally responsible budget and I agree with him in that regard.”
“Scott Morrison is going to be announcing on Budget night some fantastic measures to build the sorts of infrastructure that this country needs. It’s going to be a positive, great budget.”