Scott Morrison’s awkward question time moment

Not even the Prime Minister is immune to technical difficulties, especially when he’s in quarantine at The Lodge.

Scott Morrison’s first virtual appearance in question time has been a flop.

The Prime Minister remains in quarantine at The Lodge in Canberra after visiting Japan’s new prime minister earlier this month.

Mr Morrison, who was streamed into the chamber on Monday, was asked a Dorothy Dixer by Liberal MP Nicolle Flint.

But his answer was so quiet it was inaudible, prompting Speaker Tony Smith to cut him off.

Scott Morrison fixes his ear piece. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Gary Ramage

“I can only just hear the Prime Minister,” Mr Smith said.

“What we might do is go to the next question and then come back to that question.”

A question later, Mr Morrison had another go at answering how Australia was working with its regional allies to create a stronger and more prosperous Indo-Pacific region.

He started by thanking the house for its “support and co-operation” for enabling him to attend virtually.

But the rest of his speech was so faint it prompted a wave of sledges from opposition MPs about his internet connection.

“His NBN mustn’t be working,” one Labor MP jeered.

Mr Morrison was not asked any additional questions.

The Prime Minister held a virtual press conference to condemn a tweet from China’s Foreign Ministry. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Gary Ramage

Labor instead grilled other Morrison government ministers over issues including the robodebt scheme, with former leader Bill Shorten accusing the government of having “blood” on its hands.

The opposition government services spokesman, who campaigned on behalf of robodebt victims, also asked how many reports the government received about victims threatening self-harm between January 2017-December 2018?

But Minister Stuart Robert did not have the data on hand.

“I will get the information to the member in that respect,” he said.

Government Services Minister Stuart Robert defends the use of income averaging systems. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Gary Ramage

Labor leader Anthony Albanese later attempted to suspend standing orders to move a motion that would condemn Mr Morrison – the former social services minister – for designing and maintaining the illegal robodebt scheme that led to the suicide and self-harm of vulnerable people.

“This was illegal, it was cruel, it was harmful and it came to cost the budget of some $1.2 billion,” Mr Albanese said as the Prime Minister stared at his phone.

However, the stunt was unsuccessful and question time resumed.

Originally published as Scott Morrison’s awkward question time moment