Current Affair host Tracy Grimshaw gave a scathing assessment of Scott Morrison’s leadership skills during a heated interview on Tuesday night.
The veteran Channel 9 presenter did not mince words and described before your eyes the Prime Minister’s numerous failures and embarrassing blunders in recent years.
‘You said on Sunday you saved the country, (but) you didn’t hold a hose (during the bushfires), you weren’t on your little one pulling people off rooftops (during the floods in New South Wales and Queensland), and “I didn’t do 16-hour days with PPE in the Covid-19 wards,” he became angry.
‘You (also) didn’t have enough vaccines, you didn’t get enough RAT tests so that we could finally have a festive interstate for Christmas and China, based in the Solomon Islands, is established… do you think maybe you can?’ Did he exaggerate the part about saving the country a little?
Morrison managed to maintain his composure before informing the enraged Grimshaw that “the list you’ve been able to put together is quite long.”
The Prime Minister then launched a detailed response, highlighting his achievements as the nation’s leader.
A Current Affair presenter Tracey Grimshaw took aim at the Prime Minister after he failed to reference some of her most unpopular decisions in the tense interview.
He paid special attention to the federal government’s response to the pandemic, where he stated that “payments to workers saved the country” and that “cash flow boosted countless struggling small businesses.”
Morrison went on to point out that he was also responsible for the border closures limiting the number of Covid cases across Australia and that the national cabinet worked tirelessly to ensure the country’s death rate was lower than other countries.
He went on to acknowledge the “great resilience and strength of Australians”, before paying tribute to Treasurer Josh. Frydenberg and the Coalition’s policies, which compared to those of other countries, were a “resounding economic success”.
The Prime Minister also noted that unemployment figures had dropped to four per cent, before attacking Labor leader Anthony Albanese, labeling him a “loose unit in the economy” that lacks a clear economic plan.
Morrison, however, admitted to the two leadership failures he regrets, mainly how he could have been “more sensitive” and should have accelerated the rollout of the Covid-19 vaccine.
“I think I could have been more sensitive at times, there’s no doubt about that,” he said.
‘In terms of actual policy decisions… I wish, in hindsight, we could have militarized the vaccine rollout sooner.
‘First we did it through the Department of Health. “If we had done it sooner, I think it would have made a difference.”
Grimshaw was quick to point out that the prime minister had failed to mention other major criticisms of his leadership, including saying “I don’t have a hose buddy” after being criticized for going on holiday in 2019 to Hawaii while Australia was in crisis.
‘Wouldn’t he have referred to the heroism of rural firefighters risking lives and saving lives as holding a hose if he had his time again?’ Grimshaw asked.
Morrison said he “didn’t think that was the context of the comment” but admitted it was “not helpful.”
Grimshaw continued: “Would you make more of an effort to recognize and meet the women who marched in Canberra and across the country because they were tired of being marginalized?”
“No, I did the right thing that day,” the prime minister responded.
The prime minister sparked outrage in December 2019 after vacationing in Hawaii as Australia dealt with one of its worst bushfire seasons. Pictured: Scott Morrison visiting bushfire-affected Sarsfield in Victoria
‘I offered a meeting in my office as I do with so many groups and that’s exactly it, I met with other groups that day too and I was very happy to have a discussion and would have welcomed the opportunity to get to the top of a discussion in my office.
Grimshaw continued the line of attack, reminding the Prime Minister of the widespread outrage he sparked after refusing to meet with women’s rights activists protesting outside Parliament in March 2021.
The justice protest in Canberra emerged after former Liberal staffer Brittany Higgins came forward with rape allegations against a colleague, sparking a wave of sexual assault allegations from other women within Parliament.
“Would you make more of an effort to recognize and meet the women who marched in Canberra and across the country because they were tired of being marginalized?” the journalist asked.
But the Prime Minister doubled down on his decision.
“No, I did the right thing that day,” the prime minister responded.
‘I offered a meeting in my office as I do with so many groups and that’s exactly it, I met with other groups that day too and I was very happy to have a discussion and would have welcomed the opportunity to get to the top of a discussion in my office.
The federal election will be held on Saturday 21 May and Labor will be the early favorites to topple the Coalition and take power with Albanese as the new prime minister.