Scott Morrison cancels interview with ABC’s Leigh Sales

Scott Morrison has cancelled a major television interview with the ABC’s Leigh Sales. Here’s why the Prime Minister pulled out.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison has cancelled a scheduled media appearance just hours before it was due to go ahead.

Mr Morrison was due to appear on ABC’s 7:30 with Leigh Sales on Wednesday night to sell his pre-election budget to voters.

But instead the ABC host informed viewers online he had withdrawn and would instead appear on the program next week.

The Prime Minister has withdrawn from tonight’s planned #abc730 interview and will instead join me next Tuesday night.

— Leigh Sales (@leighsales) March 30, 2022

In a statement, a spokesperson for the Prime Minister’s Office said plans had to be changed due to his commitment to attend the state service for Shane Warne.

“In order to arrive on time for this evening’s Shane Warne memorial, the Prime Minister and Leader of the Opposition need to leave Canberra earlier than originally planned,” they said.

Mr Morrison and Labor leader Anthony Albanese will travel together to Melbourne on Wednesday afternoon, following the conclusion of Question Time.

Speaking with Seven, the prime minister said he was looking forward to celebrating Warne’s life with Australians.

“My message to all Australians, but particularly to Shane‘s family, is thank you. Thank you for sharing Shane with all of us,” he said.

“I hope tonight what people will be able to do is just pour out their love for Shane and he and all of his family. That’s what I hope that they will see the great celebration of his life and be simply comforted by that.

Scott Morrison and Anthony Albanese will attend the service for Shane Warne together. Picture: NCA NewsWire / David Crosling

“Shane has given us all so many wonderful moments, and he’s such an Australian character and an Australian icon. So I’m looking forward to seeing his life celebrated tonight, and I hope the family take away from that a sense of comfort.”

It’s understood that if the prime minister were to done the interview as planned both men would have arrived late to the memorial.

Mr Morrison had been hoping his pre-election budget would help reset the narrative, and provide the government with a bounce ahead of the expected May poll.

But the state service for the legendary leg spinner disrupted much of the media’s plans, with the traditional morning after budget coverage shifted from the front of Parliament House in Canberra to Melbourne.

A scathing Senate speech from outgoing Liberal Concetta Fierravanti-Wells, where she labelled Mr Morrison a bully who was “not fit” to be Prime Minister, did not help matters either.

In total, Mr Morrison used 14 interviews across the morning to make his cost-of-living pitch to voters.