Ray Hadley interviews Scott Morrison about the Liberal leadership spill and asks the minister to swear on the bible.
Advertisement
Scott Morrison has admitted to 2GB radio host Ray Hadley that Tony Abbott attempted to save his leadership by throwing Treasurer Joe Hockey “under the bus”.
Highlights include over-usage of the passive aggressive “mate” (Morrison: “we’re mates, mate”), an extended dance around the minister’s refusal to partake in an on-air stunt with a Bible, and this excellent accusation: “Mr Abbott thinks that you ran with the foxes and hunted with the hounds!” We think it might be.
He denied exchanging messages on the self-destructing messaging app Wickr with numerous MPs and Turnbull, but said he told Abbott’s office on Friday, “things were pretty febrile and they should be on high alert”.
Eventually, Mr Morrison grudgingly agreed to do it, but when Hadley realised he had overstepped the line the interview was axed.
Mr Hadley was unconvinced; despite Mr Morrison’s repeated claims he had voted for Tony Abbott in Monday’s leadership ballot.
Social Services Minister Scott Morrison and Treasurer Joe Hockey in the House of Representatives in May.
“I didn’t understand how we would explain to Australians that hockey was best made for job the day before and I was best man for job the day after”, he said, adding that he knocked it back because “it was not consistent” and he “didn’t want to disrupt party even further”.
When asked if later he thought Mr Abbott listened to his warning, Mr Morrison told reporters: “I don’t know”.
Mr Morrison dismissed the frantic Hadley’s demands that he swear to the truth of his statements while placing his hand on the holy book.
The temper and tempo rose, and Mr Morrison inventoried the 2GB studio in Canberra.
Advertisement
Scott Morrison was left seething after the interview and spoke with waiting media after the incident. According to the Abbott supporters’ post mortem it was the Morrison-bloc votes that sealed his fate.
