A daggy dad who is up for the fight

SCOTT Morrison follows Paul Keating and John Howard as treasurers elevated to the office of prime minister. And like Howard, Morrison is the epitome of middle-Australia - it doesn’t get more suburban than the Shire.

SCOTT Morrison follows Paul Keating and John Howard as treasurers elevated to the office of prime minister.

And like Howard, Morrison is the epitome of middle-Australia — it doesn’t get more suburban than the Shire.

He’s a daggy dad. He loves his footy team, the Sharks.

Australia’s new PM Scott Morrison and his wife Jenny, and daughters Lily and Abby.

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He eats meat pies — not with a knife and fork — and has his mates over for a barbecue. He’s a cultural warrior, a social conservative who opposed same-sex marriage and is not afraid to stick it to the leftie-luvvies at the ABC. One of the government’s most experienced politicians, his track record includes the border protection crackdown. And, as treasurer, he has put the economy back on track to an early surplus.

Morrison will be a prime minister of conviction.

Hosting then prime minister Malcolm Turnbull during an NRL match between the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks and the Sydney Roosters in April.

Talking up the team at North Cronulla Beach. Picture: Craig Greenhill

While Malcolm Turnbull struggled to appease the conservatives, Morrison actually is one. If conservatives dislike him it’s because of his perceived disloyalty to Tony Abbott — not because he abandoned any of his core beliefs or values. This is the man who took a lump of coal into Parliament and is a Pentecostal Christian.

He can sell a message in simple terms people can understand. He does not aspire to be liked by all sectors, and he can take the fight to Bill Shorten.

Risking “pork barrelling” references at Capital Brewing Co. Picture: Kym Smith

But he will have an uphill battle to restore the public’s trust in the Liberals and to reunite the parliamentary party. Putting together his Cabinet is a critical test.

To heal his party’s wounds, Morrison will need to re-examine key policies and be brave enough to find a prestigious role for Abbott — without alienating colleagues who see Abbott’s recent behaviour as destructive.

As Tourism Australia CEO at Surfers Paradise in 2005.

Winning the next election may seem unthinkable now but, as we have just seen, a week is a long time in politics.

Just weeks ago it was Shorten, not Turnbull, whose leadership was under pressure. But Morrison will need every political skill he has to make the government competitive.