Scott Morrison sends removalists to The Lodge after joking he could become Uber driver

Just days after hosting a final party at The Lodge, Scott Morrison has sent in removalists to pack up his belongings and clear the way for Anthony Albanese.

Scott Morrison has ordered the removalists to pack up his belongings at the Lodge five days after his election loss clearing the way for Anthony Albanese and his dog Toto to move in when Parliament resumes.

A big orange truck was filmed entering the gates of the Lodge on Thursday afternoon as the former Prime Minister prepares to handover the taxpayer-funded digs to Mr Albanese.

Mr Albanese will shortly be able to live in two official residences - Kirribilli House, the heritage-listed mansion in Sydney and the Lodge in Canberra.

For now, the new Prime Minister is still living at the family home in Marrickville, where he was photographed emerging this morning for the newspapers in a flannelette bunny pyjamas.

Canberra author Chris Wallace, who wrote the book How to Win an Election, filmed a massive orange truck rolling through the gates of the official residence on Thursday afternoon.

Dr Wallace lives across the road from the Lodge in the leafy suburb of Deakin with her husband Michael Costello, a former chief of staff to Kim Beazley and Secretary of the Department of Foreign Affairs.

The former Prime Minister Scott Morison, his wife Jenny and their two daughters lived mainly in Sydney and are packing up to move back to the family home in the Sutherland Shire.
Meanwhile, the Liberal Party has announced a campaign post mortem will be conducted by Brian Loughnane AO and Liberal Senator Jane Hume.

The terms of reference include the “Captain’s pick” arrangements that saw the NSW branch delay preselections for months and the former Prime Minister ultimately choosing candidates including Katherine Deves in Warringah.

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BREAKING: Removalists arrive at The Lodge. #ausvotes#auspolpic.twitter.com/zrJFvPQ8Fa

— Chris Wallace (@c_s_wallace) May 26, 2022

Scott Morrison (pictured with wife Jenny during a final party at The Lodge) has ordered the removalists to pack up his belongings from the Canberra residence. Picture:9News via Twitter

The removalists arrived hours after Mr Morrison joked he could have a future as an Uber driver after losing his job in his first interview after his historic election loss.

Speaking on 2GB radio, host Ben Fordham revealed the former Prime Minister texted him the other day over a story about people moonlighting as Uber drivers for extra cash and said “maybe that’s something for me?”.

“I said, ‘what time’s your pick up Ben?,’’ Mr Morrison said.

He also revealed he had received some advice from former deputy prime minister Barnaby Joyce.

“As Barnaby said to me, ‘Sometimes people like to change the curtains, because they just like to change the curtains.’

“I mean, of course I’m disappointed by the result, very disappointed for colleagues who won’t be coming back to the parliament. And there are many issues there, but I know the new leadership of the party will, you know, get around that and the party will come together. “

Asked how long he planned to stick around on the backbench after copping a $300,000 a year pay cut, Mr Morrison didn’t offer a clear answer.

“I have no plans to go anywhere,’’ he said.

“I’m going back to the Shire and reestablishing our life back there getting the girls back into their routine. I’ve just dropped them off at school this morning. And, and that’s, you know, that’s looking forward to being a dad again, it’s been a while since I’ve been able to spend as much time as I would have liked with the family.”

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Scott Morrison leaves Kirribilli House. Picture: News Corp Australia

Fordham then asked, “So, you’re back doing the school run?”. “Yeah, I am,’’ Mr Morisson replied.

“I was taught some early advice when I became a minister back after being elected in 2013 to Peter Costello, which was never waste a day,’’ he said.

“And that’s certainly how I took to the job and in every job I had the great pleasure and privilege to serve in from Immigration Minister, social services minister, treasurer and of course Prime Minister so it has been a great honour and privilege and each and every day,

“And with all the challenges that we’ve faced, during the pandemic, we went through an enormous amount. And I’m just so proud of Australians and what they’re able to achieve and how we’re able to assist them.”

Mr Morrison revealed he had been contacted by current and former state premiers including Gladys Berejiklian, Mark McGowan in WA and Victorian Premier Dan Andrews.

“I’ve got a lovely message from Dan (Andrews) and, and had a good chat with Mark McGowan,’’ he said.

“I mean, we all worked through a time as leaders of governments, together as part of that group, it was very difficult. I know many of your listeners didn’t like everything we did or every decision that was made. But I can assure you that all of us were just trying to do the best we could to try and bring Australia through safely.

“You know, it’s not the first time a party has lost that election that happens from you know, in various cycles and the party will regroup and focus again under new leadership.

“And I look forward to giving that new leadership every support and then going back to being a quiet Australian in the Shire. That’s what I’m looking forward to.”

Mr Morrison said it was for the good of the country that Labor has a majority rather than govern with independents.

“The Labor Party will just form a majority and I think that will be better,’’ he said.

cott Morrison, flanked by his wife Jenny Morrison and daughters Lily Morrison and Abbey Morrison concedes defeat following the results of the Federal Election. Picture: Asanka Ratnayake/Getty Images

“But in terms of what happened in a lot of those Liberal seats in the eastern suburbs and northern suburbs of Sydney and down in Melbourne, and I’m obviously devastated that Josh won’t be there. Josh was a huge part of the party’s future, and I certainly hope he still is in some way.

“But you know, you accept the result, and you move on and you’re thankful for the opportunity that you’ve had to serve the country.”

Mr Morrison accused the independents of running a “vicious” campaign.

“You know, those who are elected in those seats, well, they’ve made all sorts of big commitments about how they think they can change everything. We’ll just see won’t we? . And they should be held to account for that,’’ he said.

“They were very vicious and very brutal campaigns, talking to my colleagues about them. They play things very hard on the ground. Anyway, that’s politics can be a tough and brutal business.”

Mr Morrison has told colleagues that he may stay the entire term on the backbench and that he plans to take a period of leave shortly to spend the holidays with his wife Jenny and two daughters.

In phone calls to Liberal MPs since his historic defeat, Mr Morrison has told one MP that he may not retire from politics until the 2025 election.

He’s even been urged to stick around by former Victorian Liberal MP Dr Katie Allen who lost her seat at the election.

But other confidantes say they expect he will pull the plug on his political career and chase board appointments as he adjusts to a sharp drop in salary.

Outgoing PM Scott Morrison gets emotional as he addresses the congregation at his church in the Sutherland Shire. Supplied

“There’s also the question of what kind of former Prime Minister he wants to be. You’ve got the John Howard and Julia Gillard style where they try to keep themselves occupied with other things. Or you can be like Malcolm Turnbull and Kevin Rudd and provide a running commentary,’’ Fordham said.

“I’m not sure what he’s going to say but I suspect he just wants a chance to say thank you to those who gave him a crack as PM and say a few goodbyes”.

Mr Morrison has not been interviewed since his tearful farewell to churchgoers on Sunday and his concession speech on Saturday night.

Mr Morrison attended his church in Sydney on Sunday morning, telling fellow churchgoers he was glad his last words in the top job were addressed to them.

Mr Morrison grew emotional as he quoted scripture to the audience at Horizon Church, a Pentecostal church in Sutherland Shire.

“Jenny and I and the girls are very grateful to our church family here,” he said.

“You’ve given us a great foundation from which we could walk what has been a very difficult walk, I’ve got to tell you, over the last four years.

“Whether you’re a prime minister, a pastor, running a business, teaching in schools, working in the police force, it doesn’t matter. We’re each called to trust and obey. And that’s the life of faith He calls us to. That’s how we live our faith each and every day, regardless of what your job is, and to express it in how you do that.”