Scott Morrison has a sign on a shelf in his office at Kirribilli House that reads: “It CAN Be Done.” The gold lettering on brown leather is a replica of the plaque Ronald Reagan had on his Oval Office desk. For Morrison, it serves as an upbeat reminder that even in the most difficult of times, there is no limit to what can be achieved.
Morrison needs all the inspiration he can get because his prime ministership is sinking. Voters are losing faith in his handling of the pandemic. He is being blamed for everything that has gone wrong from quarantine breaches and citizens trapped overseas to the slow vaccination rollout and lockdowns across the country.
He is being criticised, directly or indirectly, by premiers. He is attacked daily by Anthony Albanese and Labor frontbenchers. Within elements of the Coalition, and the broader centre-right, he is under fire. And former prime ministers Malcolm Turnbull and Kevin Rudd chime in with their rebukes almost daily.
Not all of these denunciations are entirely valid, and many are over the top, but there is a kernel of truth to them. The nation is demanding leadership from the Prime Minister and they are finding him wanting. Australians are disappointed, confused, frustrated, even angry and scared, and do not have full confidence in the government at a time of national crisis.
Morrison is intelligent, shrewd and hardworking. He is motivated to be in politics because he wants to serve his country. This is a difficult time to be prime minister. It would be challenging for any of his predecessors. The impact of the pandemic has been hard to predict, especially with new virus variants, and the government is often playing catch-up. But Australians are looking to their leaders for confident, reassuring, determined leadership that is also frank about the challenges we face and empathetic towards those who are worried and suffering the most. Too often, Morrison looks dismissive, defensive and determined to avoid accountability at press conferences and in interviews.
The Morrison government should have been more proactive in securing vaccines from multiple suppliers much earlier. The vaccine rollout has been much slower than expected. We know the aged-care vaccination program was significantly delayed and has still not met critical benchmarks. And new quarantine facilities should have been constructed last year.
The government’s financial assistance to individuals and businesses has largely been timely and effective in mitigating the impact on those most affected by the pandemic. The cost, though, is huge and will be paid back by several generations. And there is likely to be further financial support in coming years.
Prime ministers do not need to be popular to be able to get things done and win re-election. John Howard and Paul Keating never hit the heights of great popularity but were effective and each led their governments to election victories. More importantly, they were respected by most voters. In times of crisis, leaders need to be respected and trusted, above all.
The latest Newspoll charts rising voter disappointment in Morrison’s leadership. His satisfaction rating has fallen to 47 per cent while his dissatisfaction rating is up to 49 per cent. During 2020, Morrison’s satisfaction rating peaked at 68 per cent several times. The figure that party professionals closely monitor is net approval. Morrison is now in net negative territory at minus-two percentage points.
Even more worryingly for the government is on the specific question of Morrison’s handling of the coronavirus. In April last year, he had the support of an astonishing 85 per cent of voters, who judged he was managing the response to the pandemic fairly well or very well. This figure has now fallen to 48 per cent. Moreover, a higher 49 per cent judge him to be fairly badly or very badly managing the pandemic response. And only 38 per cent of voters are satisfied with the vaccine rollout. These figures are not encouraging.
Alarm bells should be ringing in the government. The danger for Morrison is that voters are giving up on him. So, what should Morrison do? Well, nothing succeeds in politics like success. His chief task is to get 70-80 per cent of adults vaccinated by the end of the year. Morrison’s fate, and that of his government, is hostage to this metric. He also needs to step out of the shadow of the premiers and demonstrate stronger, singular, determined and empathetic leadership.
While the Prime Minister should avoid confrontations with premiers because this will only further diminish his own standing, the national cabinet must be clearer about the vaccine thresholds at which we can exit lockdowns. On Monday, Gladys Berejiklian nominated a 50-60 per cent rate, rather than the agreed 70 per cent, as the level at which “some easing” of restrictions can be implemented.
The politics of the pandemic could turn dramatically if the 70 per cent vaccination level is met by Christmas. The election is not due until May 2022. The fall in support for Morrison and the government has not translated into increased support for Albanese and Labor. Morrison has always been underestimated and has demonstrated a capacity to rebuild his stocks with voters again and again.
Reagan had another plaque on his desk that read: “There is no limit to what a man can do or where he can go if he does not mind who gets the credit.” It is this sort of sunny optimism that gives Morrison confidence. But Reagan also conveyed it. They didn’t call him “the great communicator” for nothing.
If Morrison does not improve his government’s handling of the pandemic, and get the credit for it, then he is done for.
Wake up, Australia! We’re a coin toss away from a mass casualty attack
People are planning it. They are itching to do it. It will finish off Albanese’s leadership as sure as it will harm the innocents among us.
Labor putting self-interest ahead of nation? Never
Blinded by ignorance and ingratitude, too many of us believe Albanese and his fellow careerists act according to self-interest instead of the national interest. This is both cynical and slanderous.