Scott Morrison’s dig at journalist who revealed scathing text messages

Scott Morrison has spoken out about a high-profile text exchange that labelled him a “psycho”, taking a swipe at the reporter who uncovered the messages.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison has claimed he was confronted with scathing text messages that labelled him “a complete psycho” at the National Press Club for “sensationalist purposes”.

And he has added a not-so-subtle dig at the reporter who did it.

Network 10 political editor Peter van Onselen confronted Mr Morrison on Tuesday with the texts between an unnamed minister and former NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian, where he said the minister described the Prime Minister as a “fraud” and “a complete psycho”.

Van Onselen read the texts aloud during the nationally televised speech.

“In one she (Berejiklian) describes you as, ‘a horrible, horrible person,’ going on to say she did not trust you and you’re more concerned with politics than people,” van Onselen said.

In a statement, Ms Berejiklian said she had “no recollection” of the messages.

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Journalist Peter van Onselen reads out the text messages at the National Press Club. Picture: Rohan Thomson/Getty Images

Speaking on Today on Wednesday morning, Mr Morrison said he doesn’t accept things put to him anonymously on face value.

“There was no context to it or any real details behind it. It was clearly done for sensationalist purposes,” Mr Morrison said.

On radio, van Onselen said he didn’t name the minister because the minister was in fact the source and that was the “deal done”.

As for why he brought up the text exchange, which involved “old messages”, on Tuesday, van Onselen said he used the National Press Club deliberately so he was not disrupted or dismissed.

The Prime Minister appeared to make a dig at van Onselen over his involvement in a court case that came to light this week. Picture: Today Show

While on breakfast TV, Mr Morrison went on to say “the journalist who raised it is facing his own questions”.

It appeared the Prime Minister was referring to van Onselen being named in court documents in a case between political reporter Tegan George and the journalists’ employer Network 10 this week.

According to a statement of claim, seen by The Guardian, van Onselen undermined and humiliated George, including by backgrounding other journalists against her.

When asked by ABC radio host Virginia Trioli whether he was involved in alleged bullying, sexism, undermining and belittling, van Onselen said “absolutely not”.