John Rolfe: It’s make or break time for ScoMo
The rolling coronavirus crisis gives Scott Morrison a chance to remake his prime ministership — if he takes it, writes John Rolfe.
Opinion
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Scott Morrison hasn’t done a lot of laughing in public lately. But it happened during a rare appearance on A Current Affair this week.
It came as an impulsive response to this question from ACA host Leila McKinnon on Tuesday night: “You’ve shown yourself to be a pretty committed handshaker in the past … are you still shaking hands?”
She was alluding to the Prime Minister’s epic fails during his visits to the fire-ravaged NSW south coast, including where he operated a woman’s right arm for her to make a shake.
After having a proper chuckle at McKinnon’s good-natured gag, Morrison responded: “No, no, I’m still shaking hands. And there are precautions people can take, which they normally do during a severe flu season. And that’s really all I think we have to be mindful of. That’s certainly the advice that we’re getting. And it’s important that people do go about their business.”
Morrison did five interviews that afternoon, following a lengthy media conference at Parliament House.
He consistently came across as reassuring and in control as he confronted what is likely to be the defining event of his tenure.
NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard on Wednesday described the coronavirus crisis as a “war”.
Economists predict there could be tens of thousands of deaths here and millions globally.
We appear headed for a recession after 29 years of continuous economic expansion — a world record.
ScoMo’s Seinfeld government is no longer about nothing. It is about getting Australia through the coronavirus.
The mis-steps during the “Black Summer” will be overshadowed by what he does in response to the nation’s biggest challenge since the GFC.
The government is not rushing its stimulus measures.
This is partly because the situation is so fluid.
As I understand it, Treasury had to go back to the drawing board after getting updated medical advice that the virus would have a more severe effect.
So the package of economic support is being made bigger.
Also, the government is aware that it can’t be seen to be wasting money in its efforts to keep Australia growing. There will be no $900 cheques to dead people (Kevin Rudd’s Labor government sent out 16,000 in 2009).
The goals are to keep businesses from going under, or laying off staff, due to what will hopefully be a short-lived cashflow crunch.
To achieve this, the government has been considering tax holidays and wage support, as well as specific help for the education and tourism sectors, along with exporters.
As Treasury boss Stephen Kennedy told a Senate Estimates hearing on Wednesday, “a feature of this shock is how it impacts confidence” among both businesses and consumers.
The government’s stimulus package will help with business confidence.
Its tone will be influential on consumer confidence. Morrison hasn’t shifted to DEFCON 1.
And that’s good, because to do so would only make people more anxious.
Irrationality has already gripped many, as the run on toilet paper this week has shown. Communication is a big part of the official coronavirus plan prepared by the government.
That’s why Health Minister Greg Hunt and Chief Medical Officer Brendan Murphy have been out in front of the TV cameras every day, often flanked by the PM.
“This is my trusted source of advice,” Morrison said while turning towards Professor Murphy at the start of that lengthy media conference.
“Listen to him. Ring the 24/7 info line, 1800 020 080. Ignore the stories and speculation on the internet.”
With his cool and calm response to date, ScoMo has seized the fresh chance the universe has given him.
Meanwhile, Labor is living in a parallel universe. Anthony Albanese’s team began this week believing it could mortally wound its chief foe over the sports rorts saga.
But that hasn’t happened and, short of a smoking-gun email or document, it now won’t.
Coronavirus is just too big an issue. Everything else is paling into insignificance. Seven News journalist Mark Riley tried to ask the PM about the sports rorts saga at that media conference on Tuesday.
Morrison replied: “I’ve got to say, I think the coronavirus is an issue of much greater concern to Australians today than the politics of Canberra.”
And he’s right. Lucky for him. Unlucky for Anthony Albanese.
Later on Riley did get to ask his question.
“You’ve said that the involvement of your office in the sports grants project was passing on representations from other offices,” he began.
“In evidence to the Senate (this week) it was revealed that one of the final spreadsheets was changed by your office to extract one project and to add another, after the Government went into caretaker mode.
“And subsequent to that, another nine changes were made by the Minister. So haven’t you mislead the Australian people on this issue?”
“Absolutely not,” the PM said. “My office provided information based on the representations made to us, including information about other funding options or programs relevant to project proposals.
“The authorisation of the projects was provided by the Minister for Sport. She was the one authorised to provide those authorisations, and that’s what she did, and that is the fact. Thanks very much.”
And off he went, before another non-coronavirus question could be posed.
It’s the only game in town at the moment — and for the foreseeable future. The stakes are high.
If Morrison gets the response right, that’s what we will remember him for.
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