Ray Hadley: Scott Morrison’s photo call with Malcolm Turnbull ‘forced’

Scott Morrison has been skewered by radio host Ray Hadley over his chummy photo call with the PM on Friday.

“I think it looked a little forced,” Hadley said.

Scott Morrison has been skewered by radio host Ray Hadley after government strategists summoned the media to witness his “warm, fuzzy” interaction with Malcolm Turnbull on Friday.

Amid a series of miscommunications between Mr Turnbull and his Treasurer, the 20-second photo opportunity was organised to showcase the chummy politicians strolling through a parliamentary courtyard after the COAG meeting, and into the back seat of the Prime Minister’s waiting limousine.

A post-COAG farewell from @TurnbullMalcolm and @ScottMorrisonMP. Everything's tickety-boo #auspol @australian pic.twitter.com/aS64dviT2J

— Rosie Lewis (@rosieslewis) April 1, 2016

Hadley – whose own relationship with Mr Morrison was tested last year when the radio host asked the minister to swear on a bible over his role in the ousting of Tony Abbott – this morning told the Treasurer that the images appeared “forced”.

“If the aim was to show you’re a united team, I think it looked a little forced and so did other people who saw the photo,” Hadley told the Treasurer.

Mr Morrison said the 2GB host was “entitled to your view”, but insisted: “We saved money, for me to get a ride with the Prime Minister, mate; I don’t quite know what your point is.”

Hadley then revealed he’d been contacted by several news photographers, who revealed they’ve been given 10 minutes’ notice of the “warm, fuzzy” photo opportunity.

“It was a set-up to make out you were good pals,” Hadley said, to which Mr Morrison replied: “Well we are.”

Hadley, harking back to their stoush last year, suggested he “may need that bible again” but ultimately agreed to move on.

Hadley also criticised the Coalition’s revival of the Abbott government economic rhetoric, “living within our means”, as a “four-word slogan”.