The Best Reactions To Scott Morrison’s Unhinged Press Conference
"Morrison is ultimately pulling ye olde 'I'm sorry you are offended'."
Former Prime Minister Scott Morrison has given a press conference after days of being ridiculed for his decision to secretly swear himself in to multiple additional portfolios during his time as PM and it went about as well as you’d expect.
On Tuesday, it was revealed that Morrison appointed himself health minister, finance minister, home affairs minister, treasurer, and minister for industry, science, energy and resources, with many of those ministers — including Josh Frydenberg — having no idea it had happened.
Following days of backlash and calls for his resignation from his own party, as well as other politicians and the media, Morrison has followed up his lengthy Facebook statement with a press conference, where he dodged questions like there was no tomorrow.
Very little was actually revealed in the press conference, with Morrison’s story seemingly changing from the rendition we heard yesterday. Most of the details as to what actually happened, how it happened and why it happened remain unclear but Morrison is now claiming the reason he didn’t make his powers public was because this information could have been misinterpreted.
“I think there was a great risk that in the midst of that crisis those powers could be misinterpreted and misunderstood, which would have caused unnecessary angst in the middle of a pandemic and could have impacted on the day-to-day functioning of the government,” he said.
He also repeatedly stressed that there were not two ministers doing the job, despite the fact that in theory, he did have the power to do so.
“There were not two ministers doing the same job – me as prime minister or the minister,” he said, arguing that the ministers being blindsided was actually proof he didn’t do their jobs — as if he ever did much of his own.
“The fact that ministers were unaware of these things is actually proof of my lack of interference.”
In news that is unsurprising to anyone, Morrison did not resign during the press conference.
For those of you who made the smart decision not to tune into perhaps the most unhinged press conference we’ve seen in a while, we’ve rounded up some of the best reactions.
the Australian public approximately one minute into ScoMos press conference pic.twitter.com/ESRMaqzJ0d
— Evan Morgan Grahame (@Evan_M_G) August 17, 2022
"If I needed to use the powers then I would have disclosed them to the minister"……. but – as evidenced by the gas-drilling permit incident – not the public.
— Matilda Boseley (@MatildaBoseley) August 17, 2022
Morrison: The fact that I've been found out and people are angry shows I was right to keep it secret in the first place.
— Bernard Keane (@BernardKeane) August 17, 2022
Morrison is ultimately pulling ye olde 'I'm sorry you are offended' #auspol
— Eliza Sorensen (@Zemmiph0bia) August 17, 2022
What a fucking sook
— Marieke Hardy (@mariekehardy) August 17, 2022
startin to think this “Scott Morrison” fellow may not be a political genius
— cammyboo AO (@cameronwilson) August 17, 2022
This Scomo press conference has the vibe of a dude trying to convince his girlfriend that not only was him cheating on her not a big deal, but it's actually really toxic of her to keep making him feel so bad about it
— Matilda Boseley (@MatildaBoseley) August 17, 2022
Scott Morrison, as he speaks over reporter, I AM NOT A DICTATOR.
— David Sharaz (@SharazDavid) August 17, 2022
WHY AREN’T YOU ALL GRATEFUL I SECRETLY PUT ALL THE MINISTERIAL POWERS IN MY POCKET????
— Seamus Byrne (@seamus) August 17, 2022
i kept my relationship with morrison’s wife a secret from him simply because i was worried about it being misunderstood or misconstrued
— Nick Schadegg (@nickschadegg) August 17, 2022
Morrison: Only one of my former colleagues thinks I should quit, so it's all fine.
— Bernard Keane (@BernardKeane) August 17, 2022
The Albanese government has launched an investigation into the matter.