A proud husband and dad opens his heart to nation

The PM put a human face to the campaign by introducing himself as a husband, son and father.

Scott and Jenny Morrison on their wedding day.

When Scott John Morrison was 11 or maybe 12 years old, he met the girl who would become the woman who is now his wife.

Her name was Jenny. He was smitten, he said yesterday. He was done.

As for Jenny, well, blushing a bit, she thought: “He’s cute, and all the rest.”

They started dating, and then one day he sat her down on a city bench in Sydney’s Martin Place to say: “Will you marry me?’’

She laughed, because: What, Here? Really?

Then she realised: Oh my goodness, he’s serious!

Jenny recovered quickly enough to say yes, and Scott went over to the flower vendor to buy her a nice bouquet.

They tied the knot soon after and, knowing they both wanted children, began what should be the fun part: trying.

A young Scott Morrison from the video.

The fun soon wore off. Fourteen years it took and, yes, they were painful years. The two of them prayed, and they cried, and they kept going.

Finally, finally, after many ­failed cycles on IVF, the test stick turned the right colour, and Jenny was able to hand it to Scott, who of course said: “OK, what does that mean?’’

Pregnant? And she said: “Yes, apparently!’’ Their miracle girls — “Lily and Abbey, our blessings, the cup overflowing” — were in the audience at the Coalition’s campaign launch in Melbourne yesterday to hear that story. They came up on to the stage with their mum, and with Scott’s mum, Marion Morrison, to introduce the man himself.

He’s now the Prime Minister. He had again bought flowers.

“How good’s Mum?’’ he said. “How good’s Jenny? I couldn’t love them more if I tried.’’

So began the long speech by the Prime Minister, whose goal, or so it seemed, was to introduce himself to the nation as a husband, a son and a father.

As if for the first time. Which, if you thought about it, could have been a bit bizarre.

When was the last time a prime minister introduced himself to the nation a week out from the polls?

Flowers and a kiss for mother Marion Morrison at the campaign launch. Picture: Alex Coppel.

Normally we — the voters — know our prime ministers because how could it be otherwise?

Normally we’ve chosen them — but we never chose Scott.

Morrison went way back, to talk about how his mum and dad met when they were kids growing up in the same street.

They have been married now for more than 50 years, and his mum now cares for his dad, who was too frail to travel — “but he’ll be watching”.

He talked about how his mum went back to work when he was one year old, and how the grandparents had to help out.

He talked about being a kid, sharing a bedroom with his brother, and about the early days of his own marriage, making his first home with Jenny in a flat inside an aunt’s house because “buying a house has never been easy”.

He outlined life, as he experienced it, and as he sees it, for most Australians. You grow up, you get an education, then a job.

You work hard, you meet somebody amazing — “I did!” — and then you start to raise a family.

You save for your retirement.

You hope that your kids have it a bit easier than you had it. You do everything you can to make it so.

In delivering those words, ­accompanied by a video showing key moments in his life, Morrison — Australia’s 30th and serving Prime Minister — gave it everything. And why wouldn’t he? This was his last shot. He must know that he’s pretty much bound to miss. If so, well, today will be Mr Morrison’s first — and last — birthday as Prime Minister.

It’s like we hardly knew him, and yet he has just five more days to ask for more time.