Sharri Markson: Scott Morrison has a chance to hold on to marginal seats as John Howard did in 1998
The federal election campaign looked insurmountable for Scott Morrison only a week ago. Since the budget, there are comparisons being made inside the Liberal Party to John Howard’s 1998 campaign — facing ministerial resignations and fighting on the GST. Despite swings against him in Liberal seats, Howard held onto marginals.
Opinion
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Just a week ago, the federal election campaign looked insurmountable for Scott Morrison.
Bill Shorten seemed certain to be Australia’s next prime minister and Labor MPs have been guessing the size of the landslide, dreaming of a historic 20-seat victory.
But the momentum has shifted since a credible Federal Budget was handed down last Tuesday, announcing a surplus and early tax relief for families.
It is still very unlikely that Morrison will remain Prime Minister, but he now has a fighting chance.
Inside the Liberal Party, there are comparisons to John Howard’s campaign in 1998, where he had faced ministerial resignations and was fighting on the GST.
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Howard suffered swings against him in Liberal seats but managed to hold onto marginals.
Mr Morrison is planning a similar campaign strategy, where he hopes to win enough marginal seats around the country to counter his losses in Victoria.
Some of the marginal seats Mr Morrison hopes to pick up include Herbert and possibly Longman in Queensland, Lindsay, Dobell, Macquarie and Wentworth in NSW, Cowan in WA and Solomon in NT.
The fight to win these marginals starts today, when Morrison visits the Governor-General early Thursday morning.
He had been keen to avoid the spectacle of the nation’s media following him as he made the drive from The Lodge to Yarralumla until word leaked.
As he prepared to fly into Canberra last night, Morrison begins a political fight for survival, against the odds.
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