We need to coin a new word for Scott Morrison. He is Australia’s leading “politicostalist”, a politician of Pentecostal faith who has been overt about his religion.
Morrison yesterday chose his local Pentecostal church, the Horizon Church, for his final public words as prime minister. It is a remarkable way to end four years in the Lodge — to account ultimately not to the Australian public but to his church.
It is of a piece with a prime minister who has always put secular accountability second to the judgment of God. The press gallery has never seen Morrison through this lens, preferring to separate Morrison the politician from Morrison the Christian, even though Morrison himself sends precisely the opposite message. This is, after all, the prime minister who spoke of the nights he spent praying by the side of his bed during the pandemic.
So, what were Morrison’s final words?
You can see a full transcript here. The outgoing PM chose verses from the minor prophets Habakkuk and Micah. A pastor who is a friend to Crikey — and who rejoices at Morrison’s end — has interpreted the verses for us.
“The Habakkuk verses mean, ‘I didn’t get any votes, I’ve got no friends any more, I didn’t get any votes, nobody likes me, I crashed and burned. But I’m still giving my trust to God’.
“The Micah verses mean, ‘I took a horrible flogging from Anthony Albanese, I didn’t get any votes, nobody likes me, but I’m going to trust that God will look after me’.”
There was no hiding Morrison’s outpouring of grief and faith yesterday. He was too emotional to speak at times. He paused to wipe away a tear. His voice cracked. When he finished he was momentarily disoriented and lent into a hug from Pastor Brad Bonhomme before departing the stage.
Yesterday was a day for Pentecostal royalty. Pastor Mike Murphy and his wife Pastor Valerie Murphy, the couple who “planted” the Horizon Church, were there for the prime ministerial send-off. Mike Murphy is chair of Alphacrucis College — the training college for Australia’s Pentecostal churches — and is a big wheel in the Pentecostal movement. Current Pastor Bonhomme is a director of the national Pentecostal body ACC (Australian Christian Churches).
There was nothing private about yesterday’s affair. Horizon Church records and posts all its services. So Morrison was well aware that his words and his tears and his obvious display of faith would be broadcast everywhere.
Alphacrucis College, and no doubt other Pentecostal institutions, posted Morrison’s performance to its Facebook page, where followers gave the fallen PM a huge digital hug.
What’s Morrison’s Pentecostal legacy?
In terms of members, his mini-me, the co-religionist Ben Morton, has lost Tangney — the safest of Western Australian seats. The Pentecostalists, though, have built a handy base in the Liberal Party of the west. Senator Matt O’Sullivan occupies an upper house seat.
The most prominent remaining Pentecostal follower is former cabinet minister Stuart “Brother Stuey” Robert, who leads the South East Queensland LNP conservative religious bastion.
Though the political media studiously avoids seeing it, the religious-to-his-core PM has always hidden in plain sight.
To commemorate the passing of Morrison PM, one of Crikey’s theological informants has asked that, above all, we record that Morrison’s deeds as a Christian politician not be forgotten.
“I listened to Morrison addressing the faithful at Horizon, and I couldn’t help but think of the faith that allowed him to so blithely do almost nothing on climate change, accusations of rape and abuse of women in Parliament (and everywhere), asylum seekers, those affected by Robodebt, those seeking a workable NDIS, flood and fire survivors, and an Indigenous voice to Parliament,” he wrote.
“Maybe I should thank him — I think the number of journalists I have spoken to and worked with (including yourself) has increased exponentially under his ‘leadership’.”
Crikey devoted a large series to the puzzle of Morrison’s Pentecostalism. It’s here if you missed it. We argued that Morrison had little concern with mechanisms of parliamentary accountability, such as statements of ministerial standards or the workings of the Australian National Audit Office. Morrison also campaigned long and hard against judicial accountability through a federal ICAC, to his ultimate cost.
And yesterday the politicostalist crashed to earth, as Morrison prostrated himself at the Horizon Church.
How utterly inappropriate and insulting to the voters and the institutions that put him in power and that he was supposed to uphold that he should deliberately choose for his final statement as PM should be to his church.
How utterly typical of Morrison and his twisted notion of the nature and purpose of political leadership.
As he was no longer the lower house leader of the party with a majority of Members, he was also not PM. So this is just one last lie.
He was PM until Albo was sworn in, whether we like it or not.
One would say that as the deposed Prime Minimal, crying for the camera, voice breaking are all within the range of a child actor.
Well he did play the part of The Artful Dodger in a highschool production of Oliver!
So was obviously typecast from an early age!
You expected something honourable from him? He is not capable unless it’s for his benefit.
He has done this for the duration of his stay in parliament.
He only appeared on 9 TV, 2GB radio (and affiliates).
A pathetic man who avoided scrutiny as do his colleagues and party.
If the LNP’s reaction to this slaughter is to install Dutton and Cash then they ensure their oblivion.
Morrison is a criminal psychopath. Before he disappears he needs to be professionally identified as such so that people become aware of the traits of these very dangerous people that must be rooted out and never allowed to occupy significant roles in any aspect of our society. Fortunately, most psychopaths trip themselves up and end up in jail, however, there are those that skip around the law (especially politicians that are not required to be accountable) ending up in leading roles in business, religious organisations, government, the law, military and so on.
Yes, he has all the attributes. And I think it’s likely, that his religious adherence is as much a performance, as his beer drinking Scomo the worker’s friend routine. I also thought that his trip to church yesterday, may have been similar to a parasite searching for a new host. In that, he might be after a new role, that has prestige, sizable income, less scrutiny and an accessible pool of adoring fans. A born again church would offer him all of that.
And having said that, the only time that I ever want to hear from him again, is when he’s giving testimony to the new Federal ICAC.
*ahem* Amen to that!
Someone needs to put a block on his passport, so that he can’t slide off to Beverly Hills to reside next to Brian and Bobbie Houston of Hillsong infamy.
Like Brian Houston he might be banned.
Yes Bosch, I agree that his religious adherence is a performance. I think he is a hollow man, a man of no substance and he latches on to things. Like a parasite seeking a host, as you say.
Religiosity droppeth not as the gentle rain – a host must actively seek the parasite.
Who would want to employ an individual whose most (only?) conspicuous talent is an ability to undermine anyone he works with or for? Does any firm really need a gaslighter-in-chief?
Hopefully, Scotty’s next career move is to the graveyard slot on Sky TV, with similar hopeless failures such as Bronwyn Bishop.
Federal ICAC must investigate him and his colleagues as well as Porker Joyce and Matt Coalavan
Please let’s not forget the inimitable Angus Taylor. His actions alone could occupy an ICAC for years to come.
ICAC with 10yr retrospective powers may well trip him up/?
I thought it was 15 years past and a proposal fro prospective assessments too.
Nah, he’s just lightweight, snake oil salesman like grifter of old. He’ll pop up in a couple of years as another one of those millionaire preachers, selling yet more snake oil to gullible happy clappers. Even sooner if he moves to America.
That makes sense. As soon as a Federal ICAC is formed, he’ll be off to America to preach about morality.
Or ethics, like Mick Keelty?
We have Dutton running for leadership, there us a mistake if there ever was one.About as popular as Morrison.
I expect the planned inquiry into Robodebt will see his reputation, for punishing the marginalised under the cover of the prosperity gospel, enhanced.
Morrison’s legacy as PM? Bugger all really. He will be barely a skid mark on the history of Australian politics because he had neither the wit nor the courage nor the competence to get anything good done. Presumably that is a consequence of his wacky belief in god. Wait, there is one good thing he has done for Australia: destroyed the Liberal Party and by doing so, has rendered the braying idiots at News Corpse largely irrelevant.
So should we not at least acknowledge what he did achieve – he’s pissed off so many people (I thought it was just me), and done it so completely, especially women, that we are where we are today. The achievements of Abbott and Turnbull in ruins. The LNP facing disunity and perhaps disintegration. Their moderates surgically removed overnight. Their likely future leader already hugely disliked. Who else could have done it?
Australian women’s opinion of Morrison on Saturday (and for many months before that date) was ‘He can go’.
The reaction when the Sun came up on Sunday morning, RELIEF!
More like: he’s got to go!
I think Argentina2021 was alluding to what Morrison said about Christine Holgate, former CEO of Australia Post. He said “She. Can. Go”.
she’s got that Holgate smile
Another thought: maybe when the current incumbent’s term is over we can have someone who isn’t a soldier or a priest as head of state. That is all the liberals have given us since Howard became PM. It says everything about their “ancien regime”ideas of the nature of legitimate authority.
I never saw Turnbull as either a soldier or a priest.
He wasn’t head of State. E. means the governor general.