Election 2022: Scott Morrison uses five words to dodge tough questions on federal ICAC

If you want a lesson on how the PM avoids tough questions, consider his responses to a sustained grilling during this morning’s press conference.

OPINION

If you want a lesson on how the Prime Minister handles tough questions — i.e. seeks to neutralise them — consider his responses to a sustained grilling during this morning’s press conference.

Scott Morrison copped a barrage of questions on his broken promise to establish a federal integrity commission during this term of government.

The questions were driven, in part, by the presence of Bass MP Bridget Archer, who famously crossed the floor and voted against the Prime Minister due to her frustration at a lack of progress on the issue.

The first questioner today asked whether Australians would doubt Mr Morrison’s ability to follow through on his promises in this campaign, given his failure to deliver on a key promise from the last one.

Mr Morrison immediately pivoted to a list of his government’s achievements, before launching into his chief talking point of the campaign so far — that it’s a “choice” between himself and Anthony Albanese, not a referendum on the government’s performance.

Scott Morrison visits Neville Smith Forest Products in Mowbray, Tasmania. Picture: Jason Edwards

“Let me tell you what we have done. Our government has reduced unemployment to 4 per cent. We have faced the biggest health crisis in 100 years … and have saved tens of thousands of lives. We have put 375,000 more people in jobs than we had even before the pandemic,” he said.

“This is a choice at this election. It’s a choice between a government you know, a government that has a strong economic plan and has kept people in work, that has been tested very day in these trying circumstances, and an opposition that you don’t.

“And the consequences of that choice are very real. If you choose a Labor Party that doesn’t know how to manage money, that hasn’t got an economic plan, that hasn’t been able to tell people who they are and what they’re about, then you can’t have confidence in their ability to put downward pressure on the rising costs of living and to put more Australians in jobs.”

Remember, the question was about Mr Morrison’s failure to establish an integrity commission. He turned it into an attack on Labor’s economic credentials.

Another reporter asked whether he would make an integrity commission a “priority” in the next term of government.

“You asked me about priorities, and I will talk about what those priorities are — jobs, jobs, jobs, jobs and jobs,” Mr Morrison said.

The PM tucks into morning tea at Longford RSL Memorial Club. Picture: Jason Edwards

“Is that a no?” news.com.au asked.

“I have uttered five words and that is ‘jobs’. That is our priority. National security is our priority, said the Prime Minister.

“On other matters that are important, such as the ones you raise in terms of an integrity commission. Our proposal is there, it is clear, it is detailed.

“The Labor Party’s policy on this issue is two pages.”

He did not mention a more detailed proposal put forward by independent MP Helen Haines, which Labor has supported.

Mr Morrison ultimately blames Labor for the lack of an integrity commission. He argues, as quoted above, that the government has put forward a detailed proposal. But as Labor and the crossbench don’t support it, he says, there is no point trying to legislate it.

Opponents say the government’s proposal does not go far enough to combat corruption.

Ms Archer also faced questions about the issue, given her past friction with Mr Morrison.

“Yesterday the Prime Minister indicated he will only move forward with a national integrity commission if Labor supports the current proposal from the government without amendments. Is that good enough, and do you agree with the Prime Minister that he’s kept his promise?” news.com.au asked her.

Federal Member for Bass Bridget Archer. Picture: Jason Edwards

“I have spoken on this several times and made the view that all sides of politics agree that we should have some sort of national integrity body,” Ms Archer replied.

“The disagreement comes on what that should look like. The Prime Minister is quite right, nothing will move forward until the politics is taken out. I have said that all the way along.”

“Has the Prime Minister done enough to make that happen?” we asked.

“Yes, he has,” she responded.

“I don’t want the Labor model. My view has always been that all sides of politics will need to come together to get this done in a bipartisan way, as the Prime Minister has said.”

Again, Mr Morrison’s position is that he’s put forward his proposal, it’s there if Labor and the crossbench want to support it, and he won’t be changing it. I’ll leave you to judge whether that qualifies as “coming together in a bipartisan way”.

At another point, Ms Archer was asked about Mr Morrison’s assertion that the NSW ICAC is a “kangaroo court” — something he has been saying since its investigation of former NSW premier Gladys Berejiklian.

Again, she answered diplomatically.

“I am from Tasmania, and I don’t have much exposure to the NSW ICAC,” said Ms Archer.

“Do you agree with the Prime Minister that the NSW ICAC is a kangaroo court?” a reporter asked again.

“I am from Tasmania and I am not that familiar with the NSW ICAC,” she repeated.

I’d suggest the Prime Minister owes Ms Archer a drink for her performance in that presser. Or heck, maybe a job on the frontbench?

Originally published as Election 2022: Scott Morrison uses five words to dodge tough questions on federal ICAC