Scott Morrison wants voters to give him another chance

ANALYSIS: Scott Morrison has been denying he needs to be popular to succeed as PM, but a sudden change of heart exposes he might be the biggest danger to a Coalition victory.

After months arguing he doesn’t need to be popular to be good at his job, Scott Morrison has finally made it clear he still actually wants Australians to like him.

Especially enough to vote for him.

In his hunt for a second election miracle, the Prime Minister knows his biggest obstacle a week from the polls is himself.

Millions of Australians remain undecided, not yet willing to shift their vote to Labor, but disgruntled toward Coalition – and specifically not happy about Mr Morrison.

By acknowledging his “bulldozer” leadership ways and promising a different approach in the future, Mr Morrison is looking to bring those voters back to his side.

Critics will argue Mr Morrison has been no different in public life during the pandemic than he was before it, during which time he held a number of senior portfolios in government.

They’re not wrong, but what Mr Morrison is claiming is not a return to the “real” version of himself, lost in the intensity and momentum of the pandemic, rather a progression toward a new style suited to the environment Australia is now in.

Scott Morrison wants Ausie voters to give him another chance. Picture: Jason Edwards

One of economic opportunity and view to the horizon beyond the emergency phase of the initial Covid years.

Mr Morrison has been working toward this pivot a while, the first sign being midway through the raucous second leaders debate where he willingly conceded the vaccine rollout had indeed been a “race” and it was wrong to suggest otherwise.

This marked departure paved the way for an even deeper moment of self-awareness and reflection on Friday, that Mr Morrison knows he will have to “change” in order to be the leader Australia needs after May 21.

Voters may not like what he has done, he may not have always got it right, but he wants them to know he is humble enough to own those flaws and “change” to be the leader Australia needs.

As one senior Liberal figure remarked on Friday, this strategy is a real “gamble”.

Will Australians see it as Mr Morrison intends, or can they sense the desperation and decide to go with a different “change” altogether.

Originally published as Scott Morrison wants voters to give him another chance