You can forgive Scott Morrison being puzzled and angry. Normally when he lies, he does so with impunity. He lies to Australians, to Parliament, to the media. He lies so routinely that it has become an established feature of his political personality — perhaps the only feature other than an inability to see anything other than in terms of spin and marketing. The press gallery and even fact-check sites barely bother to call out his lies, so frequent have they become.
And yet there’s the president of France — a major Pacific power, a UN Security Council member and an EU leader — saying Morrison is a liar. “I don’t think, I know,” Macron says, about Morrison lying to him about the AUKUS debacle — in which Australia traded an existing contract to deliver submarines by the 2030s for a vague study of nuclear powered submarines in the 2040s and 2050s.
The record backs Macron up. Let’s go to the key resource for proving Morrison’s lies, the one we relied on heavily when we assembled our dossier of lies and falsehoods: his own website, where the transcripts of his speeches, media conferences and statements are to be found. Morrison met Macron in June in a visit to the Elysée, and they discussed the then-submarine deal. Morrison said about those discussions.
It was a very positive discussion we had last night about a whole raft of issues and of course including the contract. We are coming up to important gates in that contract and there have been issues that we have had to address over particularly the last eight months and President Macron and I have a very, very open and very transparent, and very friendly relationship where we can speak candidly to each other about these issues … I appreciate the direct role that he has played in ensuring that we’ve seen a much-improved position come forward from Naval over the last six months, but there is still a long way to go.
We heard in estimates last week that at official and ministerial level the decision to dump the existing contract was only conveyed to the French in the hours before the AUKUS announcement. Morrison himself has said he only texted Macron the night before the decision to advise him.
Morrison, desperately weaving this morning to avoid a trap of his own creation, now says he told Macron in June “conventional submarines were not going to be able to meet our strategic interests” — which is utterly at odds with his sunny June assurance of “positive discussions” and “much-improved position”. So he was lying to Australians then. And he says he didn’t tell Macron that Australia would ditch France for a US or UK nuclear submarine because “that was a matter that was secure to Australia and our partners, so that was not a matter that I was going to engage in in any sort of broad conversation about”.
Obviously that line in June about being “candid” was a lie as well. He didn’t trust the president of France enough, is what Morrison is saying.
The irony is so thick you could build a submarine hull from it.
This is what Morrison does — he lies and spins, and when he’s caught out in the lies and spin, he lies and spins more to try to extricate himself from his own mess. Only he’s got so used to a press gallery happy to overlook his serial lying that he’s shocked when he’s actually called out on it.
Lying to domestic audiences is one thing. That merely degrades democracy and the quality of civil discourse. It’s up to voters to punish that, if they wish (the media certainly won’t). But lying to a major international power, one we claim we’re an ally of, to which we are looking for cooperation against hostile interests in our own region, is deeply damaging to Australia’s strategic interests.
And it accompanies what apparently is American dismay that we lied to it about the fact that we were keeping France in the loop on the submarine decision.
“Clumsy” is US President Joe Biden’s generous description of that. But incompetent bungling and deception is business as usual for Morrison.
Bernard Keane’s Lies and Falsehoods: The Morrison Government and the New Culture of Deceit, will be published by Hardie Grant on November 17, 2021
Now the whole world knows that our PM is a shameless cheat and liar. Also an arrogant spoiler with his teaming up with China, Russia and Saudi Arabia to protect fossil fuels. Promoting Keith The Pitt was a very cynical act. None of these are “the Australian way”. His frequent use of patriotism and jingoism is sickening. He is a Trumpian monster.
A scoundrel always wraps himself in the flag.
Ratty you are half right.
A scoundrel always wraps himself in the flag and makes sure he doesn’t serve under it.
The LNP are full of them. Look no further than what they intend spending on the Australian War Memorial, in beating the patriotic drum.
Lest We Forget…there was Ten Flags Tony!
Patriotism, the last refuge of scoundrels.
Tony,
This is a call out. I live in Pitt’s electorate of Hinkler, and I’m running an independent campaign against him.
If you or anyone else reading this would like to see Pitt lose his seat at the next electionand want to help, please reply
Cheers,
Johan
Johan. Plan A Spend some time online and research the numerous anti-liberal groups that are already looking to field candidates .
Plan B Look at the alternate forms of minority or labor majority governments .
Plan C Rollup your sleeves and get set for the ride to unseat this government
Set up a go fund me against the bastard.
I’ll happily chip in.
Is there a ‘Voices of Hinkler’ group in operation? The ‘Voices of Kooyong’ (F Berger’s current ‘home’) ran a GoFund me project 10 days ago, reached the $ goal within 7 (?) hours and had reached double the original target by the next morning.
The fact the whole world knows Morrison is a shameless cheat and liar is good, but what will be even better is knowing more Australians have tumbled to that reality so we can be more sure he and his ghastly self-serving government are voted out at the election.
At the risk of being botted again who is running the PM . Does the PM believe when the Sxxt hits the climate change fan we will all be saved by some mythical being who can recreate the world to our liking in six days?
His Climate ‘policy’ will be the slime on the cake that the world will choke on. The international press will cook him on that one. Pity I won’t have any ID to present when I next turn up to vote.
“Now the whole world knows that our PM is a shameless cheat and liar.”
Yes! Maximum damage apparently all of his own making, to his position, to his colleagues and to Australia. With PMs like this, who needs enemies?
To the non-journo eye like mine, it looks like a syndrome. To help round out the profile:
https://thenewdaily.com.au/news/politics/australian-politics/2020/12/19/scott-morrison-political-liars/
https://thenewdaily.com.au/news/politics/australian-politics/2021/03/30/michael-pascoe-scott-morrison-mud-throwing/
https://thenewdaily.com.au/news/politics/australian-politics/2021/05/22/dennis-atkins-morrison-consequentialist/
Not to mention the religious cult and the magic wand and pudding to round out most of his character flaws
the new culture of deceit? Nothing ‘new’ about it for the LNP, just that it’s been lowered to an even more pervasive truth destroying level than before under Morrison and his cohort’s stewardship. As a supposed Christian he should know who is referred to as the “Father of all lies”. Would it be wrong to conclude then, he is that father’s child instead?
Thought that he is for some years already.
Agreed. Children overboard anyone?
I’ll see your “Children Overboard” and raise you a “non-core promise” or two, grand?
What disturbs me the most is the chimpanzee (Morrison) interrupted a discussion Macron (Gorilla) was having with Alpha people by placing his hand on Macron’s shoulder. This is assault! If someone did that to me I would step backwards and question their motives, Morrison is a primitive human being trying to mix it with Alpha people and failing miserably. He is now a laughing stock of the world and unfortunately his abode is in Australia.
Perhaps he was trying to put the Fluence on Macron by Laying on of his hands?
He admits to doing it here, why not elsewhere?
You are right and maybe he missed the turn off to HIS TRUE PATH, a Pentecostal Priestess. Poor bastard.
Would it be too much a stretch of the imagination to think that Morrison sees himself as being the one who accomplishes all the Pentecostal beliefs that are the pre-cursors to the return of Jesus to reclaim his “Kingdom”, not withstanding that that fellow is reputed to have told, I believe it was Pontius Pilate, that “My Kingdom is not of this world”? Would it also be a similar stretch to consider that he sees himself being rewarded with a very high position in that government? Standing to the right hand even? If that were to be the case, someone should warn that fellow to never allow him to put his arm around his shoulders.
Far out I was going to say that too!
The thought is sickening indeed
Isn’t “Fluence” a Renault?
I’m totally of the opinion that is exactly what he was doing. In the things he has said it is quite obvious he is convinced he has supernatural powers.
A profoundly joyous moment that I shall never forget was our inept “leader”, floundering desperately on the world stage, tried “Le Cobargo” manoeuvre on Monsieur Macron and had his arse well and truly and deservedly kicked and for all the world to see.
Good, wasn’t it?
If only our media would now follow Macron by at least calling him to account when he lies and point out the previous stupid lies in the past 3+ years. The childlike way he couldn’t even admit that he wasn’t really travelling by his special plane in Queensland, during the 2019 election. That was real “the dog ate my homework” stuff and was even less believable than homework chomping canines.
Thank you, Andrew Probyn and Laura Tingle of the ABC – our ABC – plus a very few others: from The Guardian and The Saturday Paper for example..
Brings to mind his paw on Turnbull’s shoulder only to stick the knife in very soon after.
Lying for the father’s ultimate glory is acceptable and encouraged by male hierarchy. All religions abide by this. Why so surprised? Covering secretes is what religion does. Not exposing truth is seen as not giving power to the evil one. It’s so fktd up. Take the pentecostal out of S.M. and what have you got? A black hole.
Or just drop ‘black’ and insert 3 asterisks (for the mod) = Scummo.
Take the black out of “A black hole ” and what have you got? Who is running this country a religious myth or a Teflon PM?
Smirko is just behaving in the best traditions of the Early Christian Church, to which cults like his adhere…as early Fathers of the Church, Eusebius, Clement , Jerome, John Chrysostom, were all adept at justifying deceit/lies for the good of the poor sinner.
…For great is the value of deceit, provided it be not introduced with a mischievous intention. In fact action of this kind ought not to be called deceit, but rather a kind of good management, cleverness and skill, capable of finding out ways where resources fail, and making up for the defects of the mind …
…And often it is necessary to deceive, and to do the greatest benefits by means of this device, whereas he who has gone by a straight course has done great mischief to the person whom he has not deceived…
Chrysostom, Treatise On The Priesthood, Book 1.
So when we think of Spin Doctors let us recall those early ones they who set the standard, Those Doctors of the Church!
Leave it in and that black hole will be deeper and blacker> He well proves that is the case with his heart.
Hypocrisy raised to a new high.
Love the ink blot pig BK. Lord of the flies. Piggy. Pigs might might fly. Lie. Lands you in the mud.
More like the bastard son in the party whose default setting is to cheat and lie and to be arrogant.
Collingwood has suspended a star player for alleged unacceptable behavior. Who will suspend our PM breaking one of the 10 commandments?
You can trust a thief but you can not trust a liar.
Morrison is both.
Agreed
Has God backed a loser?
‘God’ always backs losers just as much as winners. Every side in wars has ‘God’ on their side, whether victorious or not.
With the odds being at around 50/50, it’s a better bet than a lottery ticket.
g
My grandmother said, ‘You can catch a thief, is harder to catch a liar.
My mum used to say a liar had to have a good memory.
That does not apply to political lying, only to those who are trying to put forward a consistent false construction that can withstand serious testing – such as the cross-examination Berejeklian is currently getting, much to her annoyance and discomfort. Morrison has never been subjected to that sort of interrogation and probably never will be, so in general he could not care less about how well his lies stack up as a whole. It does not matter. The art of political lying was described wonderfully well by Jonathan Swift centuries ago. Contrary to the notion a good memory is necessary, Swift says for a political liar a short memory is essential:
There is one essential point wherein a political liar differs from others of the faculty, that he ought to have but a short memory, which is necessary, according to the various occasions he meets with every hour of differing from himself, and swearing to both sides of a contradiction, as he finds the persons disposed with whom he hath to deal. In describing the virtues and vices of mankind, it is convenient, upon every article, to have some eminent person in our eye, from whom we copy our description. I have strictly observed this rule, and my imagination this minute represents before me a certain great man famous for this talent, to the constant practice of which he owes his twenty years’ reputation of the most skilful head in England, for the management of nice affairs. The superiority of his genius consists in nothing else but an inexhaustible fund of political lies, which he plentifully distributes every minute he speaks, and by an unparalleled generosity forgets, and consequently contradicts, the next half hour. He never yet considered whether any proposition were true or false, but whether it were convenient for the present minute or company to affirm or deny it; so that if you think fit to refine upon him, by interpreting everything he says, as we do dreams, by the contrary, you are still to seek, and will find yourself equally deceived whether you believe or not: the only remedy is to suppose, that you have heard some inarticulate sounds, without any meaning at all; and besides, that will take off the horror you might be apt to conceive at the oaths, wherewith he perpetually tags both ends of every proposition; although, at the same time, I think he cannot with any justice be taxed with perjury, when he invokes God and Christ, because he hath often fairly given public notice to the world that he believes in neither.
Some people may think, that such an accomplishment as this can be of no great use to the owner, or his party, after it has been often practised, and is become notorious; but they are widely mistaken. Few lies carry the inventor’s mark, and the most prostitute enemy to truth may spread a thousand, without being known for the author: besides, as the vilest writer hath his readers, so the greatest liar hath his believers: and it often happens, that if a lie be believed only for an hour, it hath done its work, and there is no further occasion for it. Falsehood flies, and truth comes limping after it, so that when men come to be undeceived, it is too late; the jest is over, and the tale hath had its effect: like a man, who hath thought of a good repartee when the discourse is changed, or the company parted; or like a physician, who hath found out an infallible medicine, after the patient is dead.
“He never yet considered whether any proposition were true or false, but whether it were convenient for the present minute or company to affirm or deny it” – that perfectly sums up Scummo
What a wonderful quote from Swift! Thanks SSR!
Astounding! Swift was a time traveller !
describes Morrison, Johnson etc perfectly
So True Newtown Caz.
My dad used to say the truth is so much easier to remember.
Pray to God that she/he can embolden a whistleblower.
Simply consider the logic of this situation: why would Macron be so miffed & bitter if Morrison had been frank & ‘transparent’ with the French? Clearly Morrison was behaving true to form & has now been called out by the international media.
Murdoch has no control of this scandal anymore.
Possibly Murdoch may need to cut Morrison loose shortly: how can Morrison even pretend to lead when The Nationals hold him to ransom and Macron proves he’s a list? It’s so pathetic that it’s actually starting to damage Murdoch’s brand.
They can’t switch to Dutton before the election?
I hope they do, that monster MUST be unpalatable to the majority of Australians no matter what his wife says!
Don’t bank on that – recent elections have shown how stupid voters can be, and I doubt we’ve reached peak stupidity yet
…. Or what Rupert’s Brisbane Curry or Maul says.
It’s not up to the majority of Australians, just the electorate of Dickson and not even a majority of those 108K voters if, as previously, PHON et al harvest then redirect preferences.
I sincerely hope you are joking? Morrison is PM, but our problem is entire front bench dominated by Morrison. All of whom are in place because of Electorate?
I just thought they might, like last time with Turnbull.
They could. Whether it would be better for the LNP given Sutton’s unelectability us debatable.
I hope Dutton is unelectable. I don’t know anymore.
Dutton has been very quiet lately.
True – Trump burnt him. ScoMo is more of a boil, but irritating nether the less.
I can live with that, Peter of Perth Hills!
It was remarkable that Michelle Grattan, who typically goes to astounding lengths to avoid finding fault with the government and always accepts the least damaging interpretation of events, was on ABC Radio National this morning pointing out that Morrison has some difficulty reconciling his statement that it was essential the French were kept in the dark about the contract’s cancellation until AUKUS was announced with his other statement that the French were fully informed well in advance.
A couple of MG’s recent articles for The Conversation have also been critical of the government around several of their decisions or (non) actions. As you say, she usually goes to astounding lengths to avoid criticism of this government – though it was very different when the ALP was in government and Julia Gillard was PM.
Must be really bad for Grattan to have a go, considering her entire career is built on an obsession with how things “play” rather than any substantial discussion of how we are, or might be, governed.
(Hat tip to media critic and former Young Liberal Andrew Elder for that observation.)
The irony of it all is that the original design of the French sub was nuclear. Why couldn’t we just switch back to the original design? This is more money in the coffers of the US military establishment. From what I can ascertain, both the US and UK have huge backlogs in their nuclear sub capacity- when are we getting our new Jets also. AUKUS is awkward!
It’s less about money or even hardware – not due for a decade or more – than it is about a geopolitical game by a dying hegemon with its desperate lickspittle, an ex hegemon, trying to restore a vanished world order.
As usual, we are just tinsel and as easily discarded.
Morrison could be called out only by international media. As BK notes: Morrison has had a press gallery happy to overlook his serial lying [so] that he’s shocked when he’s actually called out on it.
The Scomo hattrick: he and his motley band have managed to pissoff China, USA, and France. What’s next, pissing off NZ, UK, South Africa, Finland?
We in Australia should al ot more angry than pissed off.
What about those countries closer to China with Chinese minorities? Massacred in Indonesia via CIA approval. They have real sensitivities and I can only imagine how they see us.
The Morrison Gang’s already done a good job of annoying NZ. Exporting numbers of hapless Aussie-raised and Aussie-based criminals to NZ on the basis of some flimsy technical accident-of-birth excuse and despite them having no real link to NZ, while ignoring or dismissing anything NZ has to say about it, has not done much for our nations’ fraternal relations.
And its a Christian gang . Imagine how mean they would be if they were non-believers
Only the religious can be as mean as they; self-righteousness is a rigid driver of forced conformity.
Well they’ve certainly pissed me off but I’m not an international partner, ally or potential threat so what does it matter.
The ‘laying of hands’ practice also not ‘working’ any miracles as a diplomatic strategy.
Hahaha! Nice one!
And most Australians.
Have we already forgotten Indonesia, Malaysia and China?
He’s already also done so with NZ and the Pacific Islands too.
H’s already done this with NZ and the Pacific Islands too