Cover-up over Scott Morrison’s holiday is the greater crime
Some might be furious Scott Morrison went on holidays while the bushfires rage across the country but while Annika Smethurst said she won’t criticise the PM for that, she also won’t defend the way this holiday was handled. Australians have a right to know where their prime minister is, she writes.
Opinion
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For a long time now I have been wanting to write a column in defence of politicians. Not to defend their views or policies, but for believing they have something extra to offer and for putting themselves forward to represent the rest of us who ridicule and resent them.
But each time I think about mounting this argument, one of them does something the public finds indefensible. This week is was Scott Morrison who zipped over to Honolulu on a Jetstar flight with his wife Jen and the girls while Australia faced raging bushfires and unprecedented temperatures.
Public sentiment has not been entirely sympathetic, to say the least. But, to be perfectly honest, I have found it difficult to be furious at the Prime Minister for taking a short break with his wife and kids.
In a year in which my home was raided, and with the threat of jail still hanging over my head, it would be easy to stick the boot into the Prime Minister over his Hawaiian getaway.
But to do so would be to pursuing a different agenda, which is what many of his critics appear to be doing.
It seems to me that those harbouring the most bitterness and anger at Morrison were less than impressed with his response to the bushfire threat and extreme heat when he was in Australia.
Before his untimely departure he was mocked for his “thoughts and prayers” approach and for refusing to address the smoke crisis properly. These are legitimate arguments.
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Criticising the government for a lack of leadership on the bushfires or its environmental policies is one thing, but anger about a Jetstar package to Hawaii reeks of envy. The very people calling for Morrison to return early were the most dissatisfied with his response when he was here.
The week for defending politicians certainly isn’t this week, but I will go out on a limb and defend the Prime Minister taking a holiday.
Those incapable of removing political allegiances from the equation may struggle to sympathise with Morrison, but all workers — whatever their stripes — deserve a break.
What I won’t defend is the way this holiday was handled. Australians have a right to know who is leading their country and where their prime minister is.
Sending a text message to a few journalists to inform them the Prime Minister would be “taking a couple of quick days of leave” without saying how long he’d be away implied a certain level of sneakiness. It’s always the cover-up, it’s rarely the crime.
Now back in Australia, Morrison will face difficulty knowing what to do next. Front up on the fire ground and you’re accused of getting in the way?
Offer a hug to a victim and you’re criticised for inviting the press in. Stay away entirely, or disappear overseas, and you’re branded insensitive. Damned if you do, damned if you don’t.