Dropping a dossier of lies and falsehoods told by the leader of your country is never going to go down quietly on social media, and the reaction to Crikey‘s 16 documented lies (technically now 17) and 11 falsehoods ignited debate.
At the height of the day, the hashtag #ScoMosDossier was trending at number five on Australian Twitter, with Crikey itself at number seven — proof enough that people are indeed still very much bothered when the prime minister lies.
Here’s a selection of the main reactions.
It’s about time
The most common feedback from the dossier was that it’s about time someone did this. While none were surprised that the PM had lied (in fact, a lot of people were surprised that we only had 27 lies and falsehoods), there was a feeling of relief that finally it was out there.
Author, journalist and media provocateur Mike Carlton tweeted the dossier along with his comment: “A grim litany of Scott Morrison’s lies. About time somebody did this.” Professor Jenny Hocking, Gough Whitlam’s biographer, called it a “devastating compilation of Scott Morrison’s greatest fibs”.
For many, seeing the lies laid out one after the other, carefully sourced and with videos attached, truly drove home just how public the PM’s lies are.
Comparisons to other liars leaders
Of course, you can’t write about lying leaders without some international comparisons coming up, and readers were quick to label Morrison as “Trump-lite”.
But the dossier really seemed to hit a chord with those also following the campaign of Peter Stefanovic in the UK, whose video highlighting what he calls Boris Johnson’s “lies” has reached 11 million views and prompted the Green MP Caroline Lucas to write a letter signed by five other parliamentary party leaders urging a vote on an inquiry into Johnson’s “consistent failure to be honest”.
We can only hope for that kind of action here. (Side note, please view and share our video, detailing four of Scott Morrison’s lies.)
Favourite lies
With a list so long, people will naturally pick their “favourite” lies. Many punters were very quick to point out that the only apology that was given in relation to any of these lies or falsehoods was to Rupert Murdoch (i.e. number five). Veteran political journalist Malcolm Farr choose lie 22 as his top one, tweeting: “If one can have a favourite mendacity, mine is #22. It suggests when Morrison’s commitment to Christian values of honesty crosses paths with protecting his political posterior, politics likely to prevail every time.”
Mainstream media, where the bloody hell are ya?
A common theme in the responses to Morrison’s lies and falsehoods was: where the hell are mainstream media and why aren’t they covering this? To be honest, we at Crikey have often asked the same question.
Many journalists from other organisations did share the dossier along with praise. Guardian Australia political reporter Paul Kar tweeted:
And journalist and pioneer in media literacy for kids Saffron Howden wrote: “This is a refreshing approach to journalism befitting a new world of ‘alternative facts’ where lies have become the norm.”
Professor Jenny Hocking, Gough Whitlam’s biographer, called it a “devastating compilation of Scott Morrison’s greatest fibs”.
Actually it is the result of a media not doing it’s job, and a shaman who has failed upwards making the most of his good luck.
Perhaps a more apt observation would be a “scoundrel continually reminding us that we deserve better”.
Actually Redgum, this piece reminds us that we don’t deserve better. Morrison’s brazen, casual lying is only possible in a country with a credulous, lazy, lapdog media, and an incurious, uninformed, apathetic public. Note: where is the outrage? We have the mediocrity we deserve I’m afraid.
Thank you, Crikey, for stepping into the breach ignored by the mainstream media and detailing the Prime Ministerial Mendacity. It very much needed to be done.
Crikey’s expose of Morrison’s lies and falsehoods would normally mean that Morrison is a walking dead duck. However, when Australia’s main media group, which is also the PM’s media arm, will ignore the facts, and continue as before nothing will change. Unless we consider the continued level of distrust that Australians have of their Federal Government. That will become an irreversible downward spiral.
I doubt the ABC will take up the war cry against the abuse of our democracy and society by Smirko and his willing LNP accomplices, but that is exactly what a brave and free national broadcaster would do.
Mr. Howard ensured that the once-great national broadcaster would die of a thousand (or more) little cuts and big cuts and subsequent LNP Prime Ministers have worked hard to bring Mr. Howard’s dream to fruition.
If only Liberal PM’s and Coalition Ministers put as much effort into working for the good of us/Australia as they do in trying to destroy the ABC. I think I know where their priorities really lie.
They don’t have a motivation for doing good for others they are protection racket
LNP and Nat’s 100% work for their personal ambitions, which are directly aligned to their donor/sponsors, who in turn reward them with plumb gigs when they get unseated or retired. Look at Angus Taylor. Gas lobbyist before he entered Parliament. Gas lobbyist in parliament. On retirement, will be given plumb, massive $$ gig by Santos, Woodide or any number of the companies he shamelessly shills for. Just like so many before him. Like Alex ‘East Timor’ Downer’s plumb Woodside gig. Morrison’s office is riddled with ex-mining execs. They are basically paid lobbyists..
The right and Murdoch have been after the ABC since the 1960’s pretty much. Just accelerated under Howards anti intellectual (i.e. fact-based, dissenting voices) culture wars.
We are already in the downward spiral, Rayh. The speed and tightness of the spin increases daily and it must be stopped.
Unfortunately nothing will change while the Murdoch-owned media, the Nine/Fairfax media, and the ABC all collaborate to whitewash the lies and misdeeds of the incumbent government. Australia is trapped in the vice-like grip of crony capitalism, this has infected both sides of mainstream politics, and is eating away our democracy like a cancer.
As long as we take this attitude then yes, that’s exactly what will be the end result. People do have power, we have to use it however we can spreading the truth doesn’t need to be by the MSM, we know they’re the coverup gang, but we can still spread the word and peolle will see how Morriin and Murdoch, Costello etc are trying to kerp us in the dark for their own personal gains. Giving up is not an option
We can’t go one just blaming Murdoch for everything. If his organisation is a serious problem then a way to neutralise it has to be found. Throwing up hands in despair and saying we can do nothing won’t help.
‘A vice-like grip,’ indeed, Arcane.
Vice in the sense of powerful and possibly destructive metal jaws, vice in the sense of wrongful, and vice in the sense of viciousness.
“Mike Carlon” do you mean Mike Carlton?