Leigh Sales grills Scott Morrison over his faith and plebiscite views in final interview before election

Prime Minister Scott Morrison fired back at tough questions on his faith and attitude to gay people, saying he is “not running for pope”.

Scott Morrison has been grilled about his faith in a tough interview, where he told Leigh Sales he was running for Prime Minister, not to be the pope.

Mr Morrison and Opposition Leader Bill Shorten faced tough questions from the host of the ABC’s 7.30 in the leaders’ final interviews on the show, before Australia goes to the polls on Saturday.

The program — prerecorded before the death of Bob Hawke, to whom Mr Morrison later paid tribute — began with a recap of the PM’s rise to the top of politics in Australia. It was billed as his transition to ScoMo, with the sequence including references to his lifelong faith.

Sales asked Mr Morrison why, when he was serving as treasurer under former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull, he abstained from voting in the same-sex marriage plebiscite.

Mr Morrison told Sales he abstained because he didn’t want to “get in the way”.

Scott Morrison told 7.30 host Leigh Sales he abstained from the gay marriage vote because he didn’t want to get in the way.

When pressed further about what exactly that meant, the Prime Minister said he had always maintained the same position. “I always said I wouldn’t stand in the way of that, if that was the will of the Australian people,” Mr Morrison said.

“And I didn’t. What we did as a Government is we put in place a process that would enable us to resolve this issue.”

Sales asked again: “Why did you abstain from the vote?”

He replied: “Because I said I wouldn’t stand in the way of it, and that’s consistent with the position I’ve taken with that issue over a long period of time.”

The 7.30 presenter tried again, asking: “Can you clarify?”

The PM fired back: “I’m trying to clarify.”

Sales said: “I don’t understand what you mean by ‘didn’t want to get in the way’, because you needed to abstain.”

Mr Morrison elaborated: “I didn’t. I acted consistent with the views held in the past and what I articulated up until that time and I said I would not stand in the way of it. And I didn’t. And I’m pleased it is now resolved and in a way we brought the country together on, not as a point of conflict.

“And I’m so pleased now that is not an issue that’s before this election at all. Nor should it be.

Sales asked the Prime Minister to clarify his views a number of times.

“What matters now is the strength of our economy into the future to pay for things like the NDIS (National Disability Insurance Scheme) and youth mental health challenges and combating youth suicide, which are all part of my plan.”

Sales then asked the Prime Minister to explain what he believed about God.

“Leigh, to be fair, I’m not running for Pope,” Mr Morrison shot back. “I’m running for Prime Minister.

“And the theological questions are not ones that are actually, I think, germane to the political debate in this country.”

“My faith teaches me to love others and God loves everybody and we should be agents for his love in this world which is what I’ve always believed.

“And that’s what my church community does and every church community I’ve been part of, including my parents who served in their local youth organisations for 45 years, every Thursday and Friday school night, my parents were there, running boys and girls brigade for young people in our community.

“They taught me a life of faith and service and that’s what my faith means to me. It means service and caring for others.

Sales asked him about cultivating his “daggy dad” image, but pushed if he was actually more of a strategic player.

“What people have seen of me, Leigh, is what I’m like each and every day with my family, my friends, in my community,” Morrison said.

“I’m at ease with people because I like people. And that’s why I went into politics. In my family it’s always been about how you serve, not what you accumulate.

“I’ve always seen the opportunity to serve in this role. My brother, he’s a paramedic. My father was a policeman.

“We’ve all chosen different ways to serve but service is what we’re about.”

“Let’s be square, you’re ambitious,” Sales pushed.

“Anyone who enters into politics is ambitious to serve and for me it’s not about power or any of these things, as I said at the Press Club today.

“If you’re in politics you should be in it for people. That’s what motivates me and inspires me every day. Young people buying their first home. Older Australians who have saved for their retirement and being able to enjoy it independently and without having their savings taken away from them which is what Labor is proposing.”