Scott Morrison defends saying he is ‘blessed’ not to have children with disability

Scott Morrison has come out swinging this morning after critics called him insensitive for saying he is “blessed” not to have a child with a disability.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison has come out swinging this morning after he was criticised for comments suggesting he and wife Jenny were “blessed” not to have a child with a disability.

The PM told Sydney radio host Ray Hadley he was speaking “in good faith” when he told the mother of a boy with autism that he had not had to go through what she had.

“Every single child is a blessing,” Mr Morrison told the 2GB host in an interview from a retirement village in the Queensland suburb of Caboolture on Thursday morning.

“There’s no doubt about that in my mind. What I was saying was in good faith about her son Ethan. She didn't take it (as an insult).

“I was simply saying ‘it’s tough’ and I’m grateful there are these hardships that we haven’t had to deal with. 

“I was trying to say ‘I haven’t walked in your shoes and I can’t understand it as you do’.”

The issue lit up social media on Wednesday night when the woman in the audience at the Sky News-The Courier Mail People’s Forum asked about the future of the National Disability Insurance Scheme and how it would like under his government if the Coalition is re-elected.

The woman, Catherine, said autistic son Ethan, 4, had seen his NDIS funding cut by 30 per cent.

Scott Morrison defended his comments on air with Ray Hadley. Picture: Jason Edwards

Mum Catherine asked the question about her four-year-old son. Picture: Steve Pohlner

Mr Morrison then asked questions about Catherine’s son and what his name was before he spoke about his own family.

“I can’t …,” he began.

“Jenny and I have been blessed, we have two children who haven’t had to go through that,” he continued.

“And so for parents, with children who are disabled, I can only try and understand your aspirations for those children.

“And then I think that is the beauty of the National Disability Insurance Scheme.”

Labor’s Government Services spokesperson Bill Shorten took to Twitter to join the PM pile-on.

“ScoMo says he is ‘blessed’ to have two non disabled children,” Shorten wrote.

“Every child is a blessing. The NDIS is there to help people with disability live their lives to the fullest. The Morrison Gov has slashed NDIS plans for 1000s of children around Australia. Labor will fix the NDIS.”

Scott Morrison has received blowback from the comments after the leaders' debate with Anthony Albanese. Picture: Jason Edwards - Pool/Getty Images

Disabled athlete Kurt Fearnley and Australian of the Year Dylan Alcott were also critical of the comments.

“Woke up this morning feeling very blessed to be disabled,” Alcott wrote.

“I reckon my parents are pretty happy about it too. Feeling sorry for us and our families doesn’t help. Treating us equally, and giving us the choice and control over our own lives does.”

Nailed it, Dylan. https://t.co/O0VLDiIjWB

— Bill Shorten (@billshortenmp) April 21, 2022

Speaking to Hadley on Thursday, the PM said Mr Shorten was out of line.

“It was meant in good spirit. It says more about (Bill Shorten). I thought that was pretty poor from Bill.”

Originally published as Scott Morrison defends saying he is ‘blessed’ not to have children with disability