Scott Morrison used F-bomb in row with NSW Treasurer Dominic Perrottet over Covid-19 financial support

Scott Morrison let fly at the NSW Treasurer Dominic Perrottet, deploying the F-bomb over negotiations to upgrade Covid-19 financial support.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison has let fly at the NSW Treasurer Dominic Perrottet during a private meeting, deploying the F-bomb in front of witnesses to express his displeasure over negotiations to upgrade Covid-19 financial support.

The NSW Treasurer has told colleagues that he was genuinely upset by the Prime Minister’s refusal to listen to NSW’s views during a video conference to thrash out the finer details of the latest JobSaver package to help NSW families in lockdown.

Contacted by news.com.au today, Mr Perrottet declined to comment, saying he was simply “not prepared to discuss what happens in private meetings”.

But he was not prepared to deny that the Prime Minister swore at him during the meeting.

However federal government sources said “if anyone has had a go at Perrottet he probably deserved it”.

“He is just very painful to deal with,” a Liberal source said.

The exchange was first reported by author and columnist Niki Savva in The Sydney Morning Herald today, where she claimed a “tired and cranky Prime Minister allowed his temper to get the better of him”.

“During the conference call, Morrison became increasingly belligerent with Perrottet’s questioning of elements of the package and focusing on the flaws,” she wrote.

“Morrison let loose, hurling the F-bomb at Perrottet. Perhaps Morrison forgot the Premier, Gladys Berejiklian, and his federal Treasurer Josh Frydenberg were also on the call, so it was far from a private exchange, like the torrid one over GST monies with the then Tasmanian treasurer now premier, Peter Gutwein, a few years ago.”

Savva continued, “Perrottet bit back, taking issue with the Prime Minister’s poor form and ill-disciplined outburst during a serious discussion on an important subject. Morrison backed off and apologised.”

Dominic Perrottet and Scott Morrison at a press conference in 2017. Picture: Mick Tsikas/AAP

Three years ago, reports emerged that the then federal Treasurer Scott Morrison called the Tasmanian Treasurer Peter Gutwein a “f***ing mendicant” during GST negotiations in 2018.

Asked to comment on reports he had delivered “an expletive-laden tirade” at the time, Mr Morrison denied the claim.

“No, that’s rubbish,” Mr Morrison said.

In a statement, Mr Gutwein said it was not his usual practice to comment on private conversations.

“I can confirm that during our discussions relating to the GST, the phrase attributed in today’s media to Mr Morrison was not used,” he said.

Mr Gutwein said he continued to have a good working relationship with Mr Morrison.

Savva has previously reported on a “blazing row” between the Prime Minister’s office and NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian’s office over constant briefings to the media by the Morrison government that NSW believed was questioning and undermining their public health response.

That included briefing journalists that the Prime Minister had offered to send in the army but NSW failed to take up the offer — an offer Mr Morrison subsequently publicly confirmed.

NSW sources said the meeting was “robust”. However, the ongoing source of tension was not the swearing but a refusal by the Prime Minister to consider alternative views.

Treasurer Josh Frydenberg, who reportedly has a good working relationship with Mr Perrottet, was also on the video conference call to discuss Covid-19 financial support.