Scott Morrison should be brought back to the Coalition frontbench
You may laugh but the former prime minister is not an idiot. He won a miracle election, he was a fine immigration minister and he could be a good foreign minister.
Andrew Bolt
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Polls suggest the Coalition could actually – surprise! – win the next election.
But it needs a reshuffle to make it electable, and that includes bringing back Scott Morrison.
Yes, you may laugh. Morrison has been scapegoated by his own party since the election loss, but people forget he was a fine Immigration Minister, and he stopped the boats.
As PM he won a miracle election.
He’s not an idiot.
He can run a department, and the Opposition needs more experience and drive in its shadow ministry.
What’s more, Morrison is rehabilitating himself through foreign policy.
This week he was in Israel, explaining why its war was ours, too.
He’s been in Taiwan, talking up the cause of freedom.
He’s also linked the defence of Ukraine to the West’s defence against the axis of authoritarians – China, Russia and Iran.
This suggests he could be a good Foreign Minister – better than the Opposition’s current spokesman, Simon Birmingham, too much the bureaucrat.
In fact, the Opposition relies on too few people to keep it competitive.
Leader Peter Dutton and superstar senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price have obviously been critical, especially in defeating Labor’s Voice.
What a leadership team they would make.
But if Price can’t be made the Nationals’ leader, she should at least be the spokeswoman on social security, as well as Indigenous Australians.
She’d represent all Australians, and could start handing out welfare on the basis of need, not race.
Other Coalition frontbenchers have also done well – James Paterson, Andrew Hastie, Jane Hume, Dan Tehan, Michael Sukkar, Barnaby Joyce and Michaelia Cash, among others.
But let me name some others on the Opposition’s front bench. Angie Bell. Heard of her? Nola Marino? Kevin Hogan? Melissa McIintosh?
Yet there are Coalition politicians on the backbench who’ve made much more impact, many with experience.
If the Coalition wants to get into fighting shape, they should be shadow ministers.
It doesn’t make sense that Matt Canavan, the whip-smart former resources minister, isn’t on the front bench.
Keith Pitt, another ex-resources minister, should be, too.
I’d also add newcomers Keith Wolahan and Garth Hamilton.
I’d even bring back Julian Leeser, despite him betraying Liberal principles by backing the Voice.
As Labor staggers in the polls, the Opposition must show it has people with the smarts, experience and drive to form government.
A reshuffle could prove it.
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