Karl Stefanovic to PM: ‘You must have been filthy’

Karl Stefanovic has pushed Scott Morrison to reveal how he really feels about coronavirus getting out of control in the Victorian capital.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison says he has put his feelings aside over the scandalous hotel quarantine breaches in Melbourne that sparked the latest coronavirus outbreak.

Speaking to Karl Stefanovic on the Today show on Friday, the Prime Minister was asked if he had faith in the Andrews Government to handle the crisis in Victoria.

“It is my job to support them, Karl. That’s my job,” Mr Morrison said.

“It’s time to help, not for me to run a commentary.”

Today show host Karl Stefanovic said Scott Morrison must know what went wrong during the hotel quarantine breaches in Melbourne.

But Stefanovic pushed on: “You are a straight shooter. You must have been filthy.”

“It’s not about how I feel. It’s about what I do,” Mr Morrison said.

“(The) only thing that matters is getting on top of this.”

Stefanovic: “It does matter how you feel.”

Mr Morrison: “No, not for me. It doesn’t, mate. I’m sorry. Prime ministers don’t get that indulgence. We have a job to do and get on with it.”

Prime Minister Scott Morrison says the Federal Government and state counterparts are giving Daniel Andrews every support to get on top of the Victorian outbreak.

As pressure mounts to change Australia’s course from a suppression strategy to an eradication strategy as Victoria’s case numbers rise, the Prime Minister made his position clear.

“Those who are proposing an eradication strategy – if you get a breach in quarantine that doesn’t matter. It will seep out into the community,” he said.

Mr Morrison will be on the Gold Coast on Friday where he will announce a $400 million scheme to attract Hollywood blockbusters and large-scale television to film in Australia.

The location incentive scheme, which gives tax breaks for productions to film in Australia, is expected to create 8000 jobs across the country over the next seven years.

“It is about sparkies, caterers, it is about those working on set, the production people, those that provide accommodation and motorhomes,” Mr Morrison told Sunrise.

He said seven states and territories were in a good situation when it came to coronavirus cases.

“That has been noticed around the world,” he said.

“We are seen as a place that can handle these issues, and we are, and that is an opportunity for us to attract more of these productions.”

Mr Morrison and New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern spoke last week about how a trans-Tasman travel bubble could be established between NZ and states other than Victoria.

The announcement follows the unveiling of a $2 billion JobTrainer program aimed at helping school leavers and job seekers gain skills in growth industries.

The national unemployment rate rose 0.3 percentage points to 7.4 per cent, according to new figures from the Australia Bureau of Statistics.

Mr Morrison tried to soften the blow of the latest unemployment rate, saying it wasn’t as bad as expected.

This is because the effective unemployment rate – which includes people who have left the workforce or have zero hours – has reduced from 13.9 per cent in May to 11.3 per cent in June.