Scott Morrison has had a miraculous year, despite recent woes

Hawaiian misstep aside, the PM can be proud of making a huge impact on the political landscape.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison comforts 85-year-old Owen Whalan after the Koorainghat resident was evacuated from his home in November last year. Picture: AAPw

Scott Morrison’s “miracle” election win after years of Coalition leadership instability and ugly ­internal divisions on energy and social policies changed the ­national political landscape.

The May 18 election victory, while partly a rejection of Bill Shorten’s tax-and-spend agenda, was built on a values and grassroots platform not tapped since John Howard’s 11-year reign.

The path to victory was unlikely. Morrison inherited a minority government and hostile parliament following his ascension to the prime ministership.

Facing domestic and inter­national economic headwinds — ­fuelled by the drought, China-US trade war, Iran tensions, Brexit, a slew of high-profile resignations, calls for royal commissions into aged care and disability and splits inside the Coalition on energy and climate — Morrison shifted the government to a smaller target strategy to contrast Labor’s policies and rhetoric.

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The April 2 budget, delivered ahead of the election, was headlined by populist tax cuts and a surplus promise, used by Liberal strategists as the cornerstone of its election pitch.

Selling himself as the baseball-cap-wearing Cronulla Sharks ­fanatic suburban dad, Morrison shifted the government’s language on migration and coal, went hard on border protection and focused on holding and winning seats in the key battleground states of Queensland, Tasmania, Victoria and Western Australia.

In regional and outer suburban working-class electorates, where marginal Coalition MPs were under pressure to hold their seats, Morrison is largely credited with winning back conservative voters and securing support from his “quiet Australians”.

Post-election, Morrison enjoyed a relatively clear run as Labor launched a review of its election performance and battled internal divisions over its policy platforms. The Coalition’s high Senate vote also returned some stability to the upper house.

In recent months, after riding high in the polls, Morrison has taken a hit over his decision to holiday in Hawaii during the ­unfolding bushfire disaster.

He faces pressure to deliver on his surplus pledge, as natural disasters hit the bottom line, provide certainty on energy and climate policy and implement an election promise to legislate religious freedom protections.

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