Calm Scott Morrison stares down minority threat with fighting declaration

Scott Morrison in question time on Tuesday. Picture: Getty Images

Craig Kelly’s resignation from the Liberal Party and the Morrison government has changed Australia’s political balance in the middle of the greatest crisis since World War II.

Scott Morrison no longer has a majority on the floor of the House Representatives.

There is now potential for government legislation to be blocked even before it reaches the obstructionist Senate.

Kelly’s resignation has empowered every rogue, renegade or grumpy government MP with an axe to grind to hold the Prime Minister to ransom with a threat to “cross the floor” and defeat the Coalition’s agenda.

What’s more, all that Morrison has hinted or said about wanting an election next year is negated if Kelly’s resignation leads to government frustration in parliament and an election after August.

In politics, “unforeseen events” have always been tests of leadership, political survival and reasons for calling elections early.

On Tuesday, the Morrison government joined the minority club of Julia Gillard and Malcolm Turnbull, yet there was no chaos, parliamentary drama or need for shady deals to guarantee support from independents.

There are two main reasons for calm acceptance of minority government status.

The first is Morrison’s whole approach to government is calm, no surprises, no panic and a reassurance to the public that the Coalition is concentrating on the health and economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Shortly after receiving Kelly’s resignation, Morrison said: “I want to assure all Australians that I can tell you, nothing will distract me or my government from my pledge to them to save lives and save livelihoods. I pledged when I became Prime Minister that I would keep our economy strong. I said I would keep Australians safe and I said I would keep Australians together.”

The second was Morrison’s tactical mastery over Anthony Albanese in the parliament.

The Opposition Leader’s first question to Morrison was about Kelly’s resignation and minority government.

Morrison’s response deflated the moment: “Bring it on.”

It was a declaration from a leader confident of his position to a Labor leader who is suffering the common lot of most opposition leaders around the world during the pandemic but also facing internal criticism and declining public support.

Morrison was not only building on political strengths but strong policy successes that Labor almost ignored as it pursued attempts to draw the Prime Minister into investigations about alle­gations of sexual assault.

Before question time, Morrison unveiled a permanent $50 fortnightly increase for JobSeeker as the COVID-19 supplements come to an end, saying: “We are moving from short-term emergency measures to long-term ­arrangements”.

After months of claiming payments would “fall of a cliff” and demanding permanent increases while Morrison kept his powder dry, Labor asked only one question on JobSeeker before continuing to ask the same questions and get the same answers from Morrison on when he knew about allegations of the rape of a Liberal staffer.