Pfizer snub a ‘big failure’, Malcolm Turnbull says

Malcolm Turnbull has unleashed on Scott Morrison, lambasting him for “the biggest failure of public administration” because he didn’t do one thing.

Scott Morrison’s decision to not purchase millions of Pfizer doses when offered last July has been lambasted as “the biggest failure of public administration” by predecessor Malcolm Turnbull.

In a scathing critique of his successor at the National Press Club on Wednesday, the former prime minister called the signing of the AUKUS alliance a “big double cross”, and refused to confirm if he would vote Liberal at the next election.

He also doubled down on his criticism of the government’s handling of the Covid-19 pandemic, focusing in on the pace of the vaccine rollout.

“The reason we are in lockdown is because the federal government did not buy enough vaccines last year. There is no argument about that,” he said.

“It is the biggest failure of public administration. It would have been so easy to buy the Pfizer that was being offered, Moderna and so forth.”

Former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull warns Australia’s trustworthiness has been questioned. Picture: Dylan Robinson

Not vaccinating Indigenous Australians earlier was just another major failure, he argued.

“It is extraordinary that you have vulnerable communities that are actually lagging behind the mainstream of the community. The big cities in Sydney and Melbourne and so forth. It is a failure of administration,” Mr Turnbull said.

“It is not, I am sure it is not, a policy issue. It is just that they did not get their act together, they let us down and they let down Indigenous communities particularly.”

Mr Turnbull’s speech followed weeks of criticism, both domestic and international, over the government’s decision to sever a French submarine contract in favour of an agreement with the US and UK.

He further stuck the boot into Mr Morrison by confirming he had spoken to French President Emmanuel Macron in the fall out, a feat the prime minister himself was unable to secure.

Scott Morrison and Emmanuel Macron speaking at the G20 in 2019. Picture: Adam Taylor/PMO

“I have spoken to Emmanuel Macron. He is a friend and I have stayed in touch with him since I left office,” he said.

“I am not going to quote him but what you have heard from the French government is held – those are views held right across the board.

“What seems to have been overlooked is that one of our national security assets is trust, trustworthiness … This is an appalling episode in Australia‘s international affairs and the consequences of it will endure to our disadvantage for a very long time.”

He refused to say on Wednesday if he would back the Liberal Party at the next election, or if Australia would be better off under Anthony Albanese.

“I won't buy into that. That will be a matter for the Australian people in months to come,” he said.

“That will be a matter between me and the ballot box.”

His stinging assessment comes as Scott Morrison continues negotiations with the Nationals to sign off on a 2050 climate commitment ahead of a major November summit.

The prime minister has yet to declare if he will fly to Glasgow for the summit, but Mr Turnbull on Wednesday heaped on the pressure, confirming he would be in attendance.

“History is made by those who turn up. If Mr Morrison decides not to go to Glasgow, he is sending a message. His absence will send a strong message about his priorities,” he said.