Scott Morrison Is Still Lying About His Infamous 2019 Hawaii Trip
Albo has denied his claims he was told about the Hawaii trip.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison — who claimed mere weeks ago that he has never lied in public office — has said he secretly told Labor’s Anthony Albanese that he was going to Hawaii during the 2019 bushfires. However, Albo has quickly called BS.
It seems like a lifetime ago that the prime minister ran away for a Hawaiian vacation in the midst of one of the worst bushfire seasons Australia has ever seen, but somehow we’re still talking about it.
During Question Time on Monday, Morrison was quizzed on his decision to lie to journalists about his 2019 holiday.
“When my electorate was burning, the prime minister’s office told journalists he was not on holiday in Hawaii. Why did the prime minister’s office say that when it wasn’t true?” asked Labor MP Fiona Phillips.
Morrison angrily replied, claiming he can “only speak to what I have said” and asserting he told Albanese where he was going from the plane.
“As the Leader of the Opposition will know, because I texted him from the plane when I was going on that leave, and told him where I was going and he was fully aware of where I was travelling with my family,’’ he said.
Albanese quickly shut down the claim, clarifying that Morrison simply said he was going on leave, not where he was going.
“The prime minister said that, to quote him, ‘I texted him from the plane when I was going on that leave and told him where I was going,’” said Albanese.
“Mr Speaker that is not true. On the 15th of December 2019, at 9.44pm, the prime minister did text me saying he was going on leave.
“He did not tell me where he was going. He said he was going with his family. I kept that text message confidential, as you do with private text messages between private phones. And on Friday, he disclosed in an interview with 2GB that he had texted me and that was the first time that became public. But at no stage did he tell me where he was going.”
Morrison then accused Albanese of politicising the trip.
“Where I was going was on leave! And that was the important thing,’’ he said.
“He knew I was taking leave, Mr Speaker. I told him I was taking leave. And he chose to politicise that and has done so ever since.”
At the time of his infamous Hawaii trip, Morrison’s office spent days fumbling, refusing to confirm or deny if he was actually on leave — or where. The prime minister was only confirmed to be in Hawaii after a group of Australian tourists snapped a picture having a “few bevvies” with him.