Karl Stefanovic nails Scott Morrison on ’what Australians actually care about’

KARL Stefanovic has grilled Prime Minister Scott Morrison, accusing him of losing touch with everyday Australians.

TODAY host Karl Stefanovic has grilled Prime Minister Scott Morrison this morning on what Australians actually care about.

As the race to the Wentworth by-election rounds the last corner, the PM has made some controversial decisions. Saturday marks Mr Morrison’s first electoral test and a lot is at stake, with the government at risk of losing its majority in the House of Representatives.

Wentworth is a Liberal stronghold, previously held by knifed PM Malcolm Turnbull by a margin 17 per cent.

Mr Morrison was no doubt looking forward talking up his photo op moment today with Prince Harry, climbing the Sydney Harbour Bridge to hoist the flag of the Invictus Games.

But Stefanovic was not there to mince words.

‘YOU’VE LOST YOUR WAY’: STEFANOVIC TO PM

A fed-up Stefanovic told the Prime Minister he needed a miracle in Wentworth, where if the government loses its seat, or dissident independent Kerryn Phelps is elected, the government will lose its majority in the House of Representatives.

Mr Morrison started out by reassuring the Liberal voters in Wentworth that his government was stable, and acknowledging that he knew they were “grumpy”.

“You have lost your way, haven’t you?” Stefanovic shot back.

The PM maintained he wasn’t distracted by the Canberra bubble, but Stefanovic pushed on.

“How much in all honesty do you believe the Australian people care about where the capital of Israel is located?” the Today show host asked.

"We can't be told by other countries around the world about what our views are." @ScottMorrisonMP on moving Australia's Israeli embassy to Jerusalem. #9Today pic.twitter.com/zCagT5dHFF

— The Today Show (@TheTodayShow) October 18, 2018

The PM announced this week he was open to relocating the Australian embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, despite warnings from the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation that it could cause major unrest in the region.

Mr Morrison told Stefanovic his recent interest in foreign policy, specifically to do with the capital of Israel, was about sovereignty.

“We can’t be told by other countries around the world what our views are,” he said.

The two continued to spar about the importance of the embassy location to Australians, with Stefanovic reiterating himself: “That’s the point, I don’t think Australians care.

“They care about power bills and they care about the price of petrol and care about their kids education.

“They are the things (Australians) care about, not where the embassy is in Israel.”

“Well, I’m acting on all of those issues you just mentioned as well, Karl,” the PM responded.

Mr Morrison suggested he had been talking to the Australian Jewish community for “weeks and weeks” and said, while they were “obviously” very supportive of peace in the Middle East, they are a “large” community and he had not “run a plebiscite” on the issue.

Stefanovic was not convinced.

“It is a topic for every day Australians that is so far removed from the things that matter to them it is not funny,” he said.

Mr Morrison dismissed the criticism as coming from a noisy minority in the “Canberra bubble”, listing his week’s achievements including tax cuts for “small and family business” and passing a trade law bill.

Scott Morrison was grilled by Today show journalist Karl Stefanovic this morning over his recent interest in the Middle East.

Mr Morrison reflected on the unemployment rate dropping to 5 per cent and it was “all at stake” because of Kerryn Phelps, the independent candidate challenging the Liberal seat holder.

The PM accused Dr Phelps of disservice to his government, implying she should throw her support behind his party because they were voted in at the last election.

“All of this is at stake because she can’t even bring herself to give confidence to the serving government,” Mr Morrison said.

Stefanovic jabbed at the PM one last time: “Have you got the wobbles?”

‘Have you got the wobbles?’ a relentless Stefanovic asked the PM.

MOVEMENTS IN ISRAEL COULD CAUSE UNREST AT HOME

ASIO has warned there could be unrest in the form of “nonviolent protests” on Australian shores if the Australian embassy in Israel is moved, according to a secret bulletin obtained by The Guardian.

It warns that Mr Morrison’s decision to move the embassy, which could be perceived as a “pro Israel/anti Iran” move on behalf of Australia, may provoke violence in Gaza and the West Bank and that “attacks and violent protest have previously occurred internationally after periods of unrest”.

‘DIRTY TRICKS’ EMPLOYED IN BY-ELECTION

Mr Turnbull was beloved in Wentworth, a division that encompasses the affluent beachside eastern suburbs of Sydney. The recently deposed PM’s departure has left a vacuum of power where a number of strange events have taken place in the lead-up to the election.

A faked email was sent this week that falsely claimed Dr Phelps had HIV. The email was sent from a fake account and was distributed to hundreds of constituents and organisations involved in the election, urging them to “Divert (their) vote to (Liberal candidate) Dave Sharma instead”.

The email claimed Dr Phelps had been diagnosed with the virus last Saturday.

Dr Phelps described the email as being “shocking and disturbing”, but dismissed it as a nasty tactic and said she wouldn’t be deterred from her career in politics.

Her opponent Mr Sharma and Mr Morrison both distanced themselves from the email. Mr Sharma called it “despicable” and said he was “appalled”.

I am disgusted and appalled at the despicable email circulated against fellow Wentworth candidate Kerryn Phelps. I condemn it for its smears and dishonesty. And I condemn it for its stigmatisation of people living with HIV.

— Dave Sharma (@DaveSharma) October 17, 2018

“That is the ugly side of Australian politics and it has no place in any such contest,” Mr Morrison said.

TURNBULL’S SON: ‘DON’T VOTE LIBERAL’

Since he was deposed by his colleagues, the former PM has stayed quiet but his son Alex Turnbull weighed in last week, calling the government’s lack of action of climate change “insane”.

In a video posted on Facebook, Alex forcefully directed Liberal supporters in Wentworth to change their alliances.

“Don’t vote for the Liberal Party in the Wentworth by-election. If you want to pull the Liberal Party back from the brink it’s the one clear signal you can send,” he said.

The Wentworth by-election will take place tomorrow.