Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s ‘tired and cranky’ outburst at NSW Treasurer Dominic Perrottet
Prime Minister Scott Morrison reportedly had some choice words for NSW’s prospective new premier in a fiery call just a few weeks ago.
National
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He’s been the heir apparent for the job of NSW Premier for years but that wasn’t enough to stop the Prime Minister dropping the f-bomb at Dominic Perrottet during a meeting just weeks ago.
The celebrated clash between Scott Morrison and NSW Treasurer Dominic Perrottet emerged in August amid reports the pair had clashed over financial support for locked down workers.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison let fly at the NSW Treasurer during a private meeting, deploying the F-bomb in front of witnesses to express his displeasure over negotiations to upgrade Covid-19 financial support.
The NSW Treasurer told colleagues that he was genuinely upset by the Prime Minister’s refusal to listen to NSW’s views during a video conference to thrash out the finer details of the latest JobSaver package to help NSW families in lockdown.
Contacted by news.com.au at the time, Mr Perrottet declined to comment, saying he was simply “not prepared to discuss what happens in private meetings”.
But he was not prepared to deny that the Prime Minister swore at him during the meeting.
At the time, federal government sources said “if anyone has had a go at Perrottet he probably deserved it”.
“He is just very painful to deal with,” a Liberal source said.
The exchange was first reported by author and columnist Niki Savva in The Sydney Morning Herald on Sunday, where she claimed a “tired and cranky Prime Minister allowed his temper to get the better of him”.
“During the conference call, Morrison became increasingly belligerent with Perrottet’s questioning of elements of the package and focusing on the flaws,” she wrote.
“Morrison let loose, hurling the F-bomb at Perrottet. Perhaps Morrison forgot the outgoing Premier, Gladys Berejiklian, and his federal Treasurer Josh Frydenberg were also on the call, so it was far from a private exchange, like the torrid one over GST moneys with the then Tasmanian treasurer now premier, Peter Gutwein, a few years ago.”
Savva has previously reported on a “blazing row” between the Prime Minister’s office and NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian’s office over constant briefings to the media by the Morrison government that NSW believed was questioning and undermining their public health response.
Mr Perrottet is firming as NSW’s next Premier with a deal to install Stuart Ayres as his deputy after both men formally declared their candidacy at a press conference in Sydney on Sunday night.
The NSW Treasurer said the decision was ultimately a matter for the party room on Tuesday. At this stage, the other contender Rob Stokes is yet to withdraw from the ballot.
“Over the last 48 hours, I’ve had the opportunity to discuss with my wife, Helen, my family and my colleagues, my intention to nominate today as the Liberal leader of the parliamentary party,’’ Mr Perrottet said.
“I do so, alongside the Minister for jobs as Stuart Ayres … as my deputy leader. We believe it is a team that will provide stability, unity and experience.”
Mr Perrottet paid tribute to the “tireless dedication of our premier Gladys Berejiklian.”
“During the last 18 months as I, as her deputy and as treasurer worked very closely with her as we navigated through droughts through fires in through this pandemic, and New South Wales and be stronger today because of her tireless, servant leadership to the people of New South Wales,’’ he said.
Environment Minister Matt Kean, a moderate powerbroker who is doing the numbers to install the right-winger Mr Perrottet as premier is expected to be appointed Treasurer.
If the contest makes it all the way to the NSW Liberal party room on Tuesday it will be the first time the Liberals have voted on a new leader in nearly twenty years.
The tradition in recent decades has been to negotiate a bloodless transfer of power and this was the case when former NSW Premier Barry O’Farrell handed over to Mike Baird and in the transfer of power to Gladys Berejiklian nearly five years ago.
The little-known western Sydney MP Stuart Ayres is the husband of Foreign Affairs Minister Marise Payne.
The factional deal to deliver the leadership to the NSW Treasurer comes amid confirmation that Liberal frontbencher Andrew Constance will resign from NSW parliament by the end of the year to contest the federal seat of Gilmore for the Liberal Party.
His announcement came just two days after NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian announced she was resigning as a result of a corruption investigation into her conduct in office.
“Like so many of us, I am heartbroken for my long-time friend Gladys Berejiklian,” Mr Constance said on Sunday.
“By retiring from the state cabinet and NSW parliament, I will provide an incoming leader the opportunity to fill this position.”
Mr Constance has previously slammed the Prime Minister for “getting the welcome he deserved” in Cobargo, NSW after he angered locals during the bushfires.
However, he has previously engaged in a short-lived campaign for preselection for the federal seat of Eden-Monaro, in 2020.
Ms Berejiklian said she would leave parliament at the earliest opportunity after anti-corruption watchdog ICAC announced a probe into whether she breached public trust with respect to grants awarded to community organisations while she was in a secret relationship with ex-Wagga Wagga MP Daryl Maguire.
“I state categorically, I have always acted with the highest level of integrity,” she said as she announced her resignation.
Ms Berejiklian will be formally replaced as Premier when the Liberal party elects her successor on Tuesday.
The 39-year-old Catholic and father-of-six is the leader of the party’s right faction and the deputy leader of the NSW Liberal Party.
The Epping MP lives in Sydney’s northwest with his wife Helen and children Charlotte, Amelia, Annabelle, William, Harriet and Beatrice.
Mr Perrottet studied law at Sydney University and worked as a lawyer before he was elected to the NSW parliament in 2011.
He has previously held the cabinet positions of Finance and Industrial Relations Minister.
Mr Kean, a leader of the party‘s moderate faction, helped broker the deal to install Gladys Berejiklian as Premier in 2017 with Mr Perrottet as her deputy.
The two men have had an understanding since then that Mr Kean would back Mr Perrottet as the party’s next leader.
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