Three years of humility a path to success, says Morrison

Scott Morrison urged Coalition MPs to be humble and professional for the next three years and focus on the Australian people.

Anthony Albanese and Scott Morrison take part in the Welcome to Country smoking ceremony to mark the start of the 46th parliament. Picture: Kym Smith

Coalition MPs have been told to act humbly and professionally for the next three years as Scott Morrison outlines a “path to further success” after his resounding election win.

Rallying his troops in the first Coalition partyroom meeting of the new parliament, the Prime Minister urged colleagues to focus on ordinary Australians in their electorates.

Mr Morrison has claimed the election result was a victory for “quiet Australians” and yesterday continued that theme as he asked MPs to think about what they wanted to achieve in the 46th parliament.

“In three years’ time we need to show and demonstrate to the Australian people the contribution we’ve made,” Mr Morrison said.

“We need to be focused on what they told us was important to them and their families and to show how we fixed the problems they have identified.

“Go back and identify clearly what it is you want to say three years from now and how it is you’ve delivered for those people. Focus on people outside this building, not those in it. That will be the path to further success.”

With 27 new Coalition senators and members in the 112-strong partyroom, Mr Morrison reminded MPs that politicians were expected to be professional and said he wanted the government “to be known for its humility”.

After years of divisions following the Abbott and Turnbull leadership changes, the Prime Minister acknowledged not everyone always got their way but members of an effective team were able to give and take.

Mr Morrison’s advice came after Anthony Albanese offered his own message to Labor MPs at Monday’s caucus meeting, warning his colleagues against leaking and reminding them of the need to speak with a “single voice”.

The reminder not to leak came after Labor frontbencher Joel Fitzgibbon called for more freedom for opposition MPs to publicly ­express views counter to opposition policy.

Within the Coalition there have also been ongoing tensions in the National Party between ­Michael McCormack and former deputy prime minister Barnaby Joyce, who has said he would stand for the leadership if the position were vacant.

Mr Morrison yesterday told the joint partyroom that the ­Coalition’s election campaign was humble “relative to Labor’s coronation tour”, with Bill Shorten ­accused of being overconfident in the lead up to the May 18 election.

“What we need to do is demonstrate a working government by exercising discipline, not just on message but patience with each other and using the processes in the party available to work through all issues,” he said.

Mr McCormack, elected ­Nationals leader in February last year after Mr Joyce was forced to resign following revelations of his affair with former staffer and now partner Vikki Campion, added: “Three years ago today we won an election but this time it feels different, with renewed energy and positivity as we come back.”

The Coalition gained an extra seat in the House of Representatives and four more Senate seats.