Scott Morrison hammered on ‘empathy’ and promise to change

Scott Morrison has endured a fiery press conference, with the Prime Minister hammered with questions about his ongoing “bulldozing” ways.

The Prime Minister has walked away from a fiery press conference in Tasmania that saw him hammered with questions about his character.

It all began when he was accused of “bulldozing” through questions about Australians struggling with the cost of living, in particular one about how much comfort a low unemployment rate is to those Australians.

“You speak of the low unemployment rate. But why should that be any comfort to Australians when their wages (aren’t) keeping up with the cost of living?” a reporter asked.

The Prime Minister appeared bemused by the question.

“Let me understand your question – no, no, I’m going to repeat it. You’re saying what is the comfort of a low unemployment rate?” he asked.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison speaks to the media. Picture: Asanka Ratnayake/Getty Images

“The average Australian when their wages are not keeping up with the cost of living and politicians are talking about low unemployment rate,” the reporter hit back.

“How does getting Australians in jobs and have confidence that when they leave school they can get a job or when they do their training as an apprentice there’s a job for them there full-time, and unemployment rate which means that when banks look at the economy, they’re confident to lend people money because the unemployment rate is so low,” Mr Morrison responded.

There was a back and forth between the reporter before other journalists pitched in – suggesting he wasn’t answering the question.

The focus then turned away from the economy and onto the Prime Minister himself when a reporter suggested he just “bulldozed” his way through the exchange.

“You’ve conceded you’re a self-described bulldozer style has alienated voters but yesterday you seemed to suggest that it was a sign of strength,” asked the ABC’s Jane Norman.

“I’m wondering which is it? And what is it about your leadership style that you’re actually promising to change?”

“You need strength in this job and that will continue,” Mr Morrison said.

“But the times it is our intentions will be changing and the times will give us an opportunity to be more inclusive about how we take our economic plan forward.”

Several members of the press kept calling out to him to stop talking about the economy and give examples on how he would be more empathetic.

“Where is your empathy?” a reporter called out at one stage, as Mr Morrison was asked about his empathy three times.

The most detailed answer he gave on this empathy was still all about the economy.

“I want wages to rise and everything I do everyday is designed to ensure Australians get paid more,” he said.

“I have – and with Jenny on many occasions, have sat with people in their worst of times and their best of times and this drives me every single day to ensure that Australians can improve the quality of their life and the standards of their living.

“It’s why we fought so hard to ensure 2900 new and amended the listings put on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme so people who are struggling with terrible conditions like cystic fibrosis and spinal muscular atrophy, and all of these. If you can’t manage money, you can’t put these medicines on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme.”

Scott Morrison was hammered with questions about his ‘bulldozer’ ways during Thursday’s press conference. Picture: Jason Edwards

The Prime Minister was then peppered with questions about sensitive issues like domestic violence leave, voluntary assisted dying and the age at which people can be detained.

However, he began talking about the economy again and how only the Coalition will allow people to access their super to buy a home.

He then took a final question which was on how the boy he tackled in soccer yesterday was doing, and there were groans from the press pack as he answered.

With that he walked off, with journalists loudly questioning whether he was ever really going to change his approach.

Originally published as Scott Morrison hammered on ‘empathy’ and promise to change