Scott Morrison a team player with his own ambitions

IF Lindsay Tanner's new book is accurate and the media are more interested in sensationalising the news than reporting it, the headlines about Scott Morrison's interview on Australian Agenda yesterday should read: "Morrison wants leadership, refuses to endorse Abbott on asylum-seekers."

The truth, of course, is a little different.

Morrison was asked whether he agreed with Abbott's use of words like "tsunami', "armada" and "invasion" to describe the increased number of asylum boats coming in recent years.

Despite five attempts to elicit an answer, he wouldn't endorse Abbott's rhetoric. But there is no split between the pair on policy and Morrison was at pains to make that clear.

Asked twice about leadership ambitions, Morrison demurred, before noting that he is only in his early 40s - an implicit recognition that, of course, he is interested (one day). But again he made it clear that Abbott was safe and he wanted to serve in his government.

Just as Tanner's book would have been better served by more nuance, nuance is the only way to interpret Morrison's responses.

Morrison is a team player. He also knows that if Abbott finds a way to lose the next election, a two-time loser won't retain the leadership. Joe Hockey is the heir apparent, but don't discount Morrison.

That's where his rhetoric on asylum-seekers matters, not because it undermined Abbott.

Morrison runs a hard line on asylum-seekers, an article of faith in the Liberal Party. But I suspect he is occasionally uncomfortable with Abbott's rhetoric. So are some MPs who one day may have to weigh up whether to back Hockey or Morrison in a leadership showdown. You get the picture.

Don't endorse something you don't agree with, but don't be disloyal to the leader (certainly not given the current polls) if one day you, too, might like to lead. Good politics.