Outgoing NSW Liberal senator Concetta Fierravanti-Wells made some very clear statements about the fakery of Scott Morrison last night. Wearing a prominent cross around her neck, she seized the moment to nail what Morrison’s apparent belief in Pentecostal Christianity really means and to reveal the hypocrite she considers him to be.
Fierravanti-Wells, a member of the right-wing Catholic grouping of the NSW Liberal Party, told a near-empty Senate chamber that Morrison’s “actions conflict with his portrayal as a man of faith. He has used his so-called faith as a marketing advantage”.
“While professing to be a man of faith,” she said, he was “adept at running with the foxes and hunting with the hounds, lacking a moral compass and having no conscience”.
Fierravanti-Wells then knitted together Morrison’s long-standing and close relationship with disgraced Hillsong Church leader, Brian Houston, in a way which others in the Canberra complex have shied away from.
“We learnt the leader of his Hillsong Church group, Brian Houston, was a mentor to Morrison. Houston recently stood down as head of Hillsong because he was charged with sexual offences. It is noteworthy that, in the past, Houston flew top cover for his paedophile father.”
(Fierravanti-Wells got part of that wrong: Houston has not been charged with sexual offences. He breached Hillsong’s code of conduct.)
Finally the senator turned to Morrison’s hypocrisy. “He might profess to be Christian, but there was nothing Christian about what was done to Michael Towke” — the Australian-Lebanese businessman who defeated Morrison in a pre-selection for his seat of Cook and was then subjected to a smear campaign.
The sense of religious betrayal was palpable in Fierravanti-Wells’ attack.
Opening the door on how internal Liberal politics gets done, the party veteran recalled that she and the NSW Liberal’s powerful Catholic conservative, David Clarke, had put their votes behind Morrison at a key juncture in his political career — a decision she now bitterly regretted.
To traditional Catholic believers, Morrison’s brand of Pentecostalism is always suspect — seen as big on glitz and marketing while lacking in intellectual heft and tradition. They see it as centred on the advancement of self and the acquisition of material wealth, as opposed to Catholicism that elevates the idea of suffering.
Last night that marriage of Morrison’s fake religion and the fakery of the man came together in one of the most powerful faith denunciations Parliament has witnessed.
It was also a rarity in Canberra where political journalists have refused to touch the story of Morrison and his relationship with God, even though it goes directly to the character of the prime minister, as Crikey has detailed since last year.
The outgoing senator has performed one final public service: she has finally belled the cat on the hollowed-out man in the Lodge and his pretence of religious piety.
Fancy taking a politician at their word. That’s why this piece fails.
Concetta Fierravanti-Wells was a mediocre politician at best. No conservative woman praises her support or mentorship, which is why her invocation of a “Liberal sisterhood” is more than a bit rich. She was Minister for the Pacific for three years, and now our relationships with those countries are so bad our national security is under threat.
Hardaker describes Michael Towke as a Lebanese-Australian businessman, understating his (ongoing) role as a warrior for religious and right-wing causes. Had he prevailed, he would be a minister in the Dutton government and the kind of dialogue on this site would be illegal. Hardaker refers to David Clarke in passing, overlooking his sheer venom and ignoring the similar tactics that tore Labor apart in two states during the 1950s. You describe it but you don’t see it.
Now the Liberal Party is cancelling her political career. It’s a cliché of political reporting to describe a disgruntled politician on the way out as being dragged screaming from the lolly shop, but that’s what is happening here. The political system is working as it should in getting rid of this person.
I’m no fan of Morrison but sometimes the enemy of your enemy is also a jerk. Try seeing CFW as Kimberly Kitching with a heartbeat but fewer friends. The reason why I subscribe to Crikey is because it doesn’t take politicians at their word, it doesn’t think the announcement is the story. Everyone else is doing the breathless pantomime angle on this, do better please.
LOL. Except everything she said about the Towke affair was confirmed at the time. Still, I get it, you LibShills need to defend #scottythepathologicalliar at all costs.
I have often wondered what Towke’s positions would have been on a range of issues. He had allegedly stacked the branches before the 2007 pre-selection process. He was a former member of the ALP. I’d like to know why he rejected Labor policies and adopted those of the Coalition. Might it have been because he realised Cook was not likely to vote ALP and if he wanted a seat in Parliament, he had to stand for the Coalition? The fact that a lot of the dispute seems to be based on religion reminded me of Guy Rundle’s excellent piece on how the religious right has filled the vacuum of Liberal Party membership over the last 20 or more years.
All very good points, but I still agree with the premise of the article that CFW has pretty neatly skewered Morrison.
I notice Michael Rowland repeated the skewer to his face this morning with additional weaponry from various sources inside the LNP tent, and good on him for showing some courage at last, but water off a duck’s back to Teflon Scott of course (but you that behind the smirk and the gaslighting of “Connie”, he is absolutely fuming).
Political infighting is bad at the best of times, but the intrusion of religious zealotry of any stripe makes it all far more ugly. We are supposed to be a secular society, and our politics untouched by any church…but instead, what a mess we have.
“We are supposed to be a secular society, and our politics untouched by any church…”
I’m not convinced that our history or our constitution justify going quite that far. This is certainly not, for example, Revolutionary France. Those who put together the Australian federal nation were on the whole religious, at least in a conventional go-to-church-on-Sunday sense for the sake of appearances. They intended an Australia where there were no obstacles to practising religion, which is not the same as being secular. The constitutional ban on establishing a religion is weaker than the USA’s version and in practice does little more than prevent a theocracy being imposed; so we will not be Saudi Arabia any time soon. However, there is no chance we will be a wholly secular society and our politics will be very much touched by religion for the foreseeable. Given how disorganised the truly secular elements of society are these days, with no mass membership of political parties, the greatly weakened state of trade unions and so on, the organised religions in Australia have a great political advantage and of course they use it.
Read s116 of the Constitution. Lifted almost word for word from the US First Ammendment. However unlike their US bretheren our High Court justices have not really followed a “black letter” interpretation of the law (US writers would call it a “strict constructionist view”) until recently. As a consequence s116s effect is less prominent than it might have been, and I suspect was actually intended.
That’s what I said. You’ve gone into more detail but the point remains the same. Our version is weaker.
At least we don’t call ourselves “One nation under God.”
Well we don’t have an oath of allegiance. And the “one nation under God” was only added in 1954. We don’t have such faux patriotic sentiments as the Yanks.
She bucked the system. She wasn’t the good girl. She didn’t know the rules of the Crumb Maidens Club. And she stood her ground on issues she considered fundamentally important ( Aged Care and Fed ICAC). Worse, she spoke.
Getting the bums rush was guaranteed. Its the nature of any patriarchy. Christine Holgate discovered this as have millions of women, many now not alive to even tell their stories.
The young women sexually assaulted and threatened out of their jobs in the High Court reportedly said the system was broken from the top down, but as many who understand patriarchal systems know, it was actually working perfectly.
You are correct when you write that the political system is working as it should. No patriarchy will survive if it were any less misogynistic and any less effective in keeping women out of power.
A good case is never furthered by wild hyperbole, exaggeration and inaccuracies.
If you wrote half as many words your posts would be improved – though that would depend on which half you omitted.
Many other liberals and nationals agree with CF-W, such as Joyce, but keep their traps shut because they are still in the big house. During an election campaign love is in the air.
Concetta Fierravanti-Wells was a mediocre politician at best.
Yes. Fair point. But she was dropped down the Lib Senate card so that Jim Nolan could be elevated. During recent times C F-W has been a strong critic of government aged care “policy” and I agreed with her. I cannot remember ever agreeing with anything Nolan has said.
Yes, must be terrible having to give way to that moron Molan, dreadful man.
That would be Jim Molan – M as in Mad!
He is the very model of a 19thC major general, never saw a body count that was too high in Iraq.
Yes. His name is Molan. Somehow I mistyped and it was Dolan to start with. Finger fumble to replace the D with N instead of M. Memo to self – proof read, don’t trust your fingers.
His monomania of ‘confronting China’ is his last chance at glory, from the safety of the Senate for the short time he has left.
Aka the butcher of faluja for his bombing of Iraqi civilians who keeps parachuting into parliament and quickly voted out again.
There is a horrible little gnome down voting people’s comments..I had ‘liked’ yours but now see its zero again. I hope it gets rooted out. It doesn’t add anything to the discussion, just down votes. Pathetic creature obviously.
And Jim Nolan’s a real worry!
The current crew of Liberals are mediocre.
No doubt CFW is a reactionary – but to think that she’s been pushed because of her incompetence doesn’t really fly (not to mention she’s been on the backbench for years), considering there’s incompetents everywhere in the coalition, many of whom get shuffled from portfolio to portfolio or straight up promoted. All signs point to the fact that because she was someone who pushed back against Morrisson (she has been consistent regarding the abuse of delegated legislation) and his circle was the reason she had to go.
It might seem a long bow, but this is why I have ‘reservations’ ( being polite) about the ‘ consent’ issue being drummed up. Most know no is not really a safe thing. Stand your ground lady, and this is what happens to you. The metaphoric public beheading of the CEO of Aust Post was the same.
Essentially she was describing a high functioning psychopath, who uses self-proclaimed religiosity, as a cover for their amoral inner self. Having read quite a bit on Morrison’s history, there’s plenty that supports that view.
You mean sociopath not psychopath methinks? Unless you know something we don’t about Scummo?
No, I definitely mean psychopath. I don’t have time to write a long explanation of why I mean that. However, an old book by Robert Hare and Paul Babiak, called Snakes in Suits: When Psychopaths Go to Work, is well worth a read on the subject. Essentially, it’s an easy to read guide for HR departments, on how to recognise a high functioning psychopath, before they do too much damage to their organisation.
Too late for some of the organisations Scott worked for.
I agree. HR Departments don’t seem to have read the book yet. Psychopaths flourish everywhere.They are easy to spot once the red flags are understood. One I particularly like, is their propensity to cry when cornered.
Yes, the emotional responses that just seem a bit off. With Morrison, there’s those fairly frequent moments, when he appears to be struggling to hold back tears. However, he never seems to break into actual tears, and if say, an interviewer changes the topic, the apparent emotional turmoil vanishes instantly.
He is the ‘hollow man’ of many myths, only the front of an empty shell – no interior.
Exactly. Psychiatrists know this ‘demanding sympathy’ behaviour as one of the biggest red flags of a psychopath…its a bit late in the play to be deciding that IMHO…there are plenty of much earlier signs. Baden Clay had it all worked out..both his wife AND his mistress were mentally unstable. He is in a prison cell now, thank goodness. They should all be put there. They only ever destroy everything they come into contact with.
I see discussion about psychopaths is triggering them! LOL.
“…she has finally belled the cat…”
Yes, she has. But she waited until she had little to lose before doing it. Her assault on Morrison’s moral character looks justified, but her own character would be more admirable if she had the guts to say what she thought of Morrison earlier. As it is, Morrison is already saying she’s just a bad loser.
I don’t know. I think that blowing up Morrison’s pre election budget sales job was an honourable time to bring this out in the open. If this was raised 3 years ago, Morrison would have mitigated this news, and her shots would have been fired. Like with Dan Andrews scheduling Warne’s memorial service the day after the budget, this prevents Morrison getting clear air for the sales job.
Also, by staying loyal until now, CFW gave Morrison one last chance to be honourable and preselect her again. A chance Morrison decided not to take.
Good call Peter, loyalty and honour seems to be concepts from yesteryear. She stuck to her faith, and treated SM as she would want to be treated. Once knifed, she had her right of reply – to knife back. Good job.
Honour and loyalty to a man you despise? Seems a bit odd, (except perhaps in politics).
Ah well, the system has been designed by the boys for the boys, so maybe women coming in and wrecking the joint, in their special way, is a good thing.
Basically its dog eat dog, so women are making their own decisions when it suits them. She would know the vitriol she would have been subjected to if she had said it all earlier, so Morrison can take the credit for making this giant mess possible.
I don’t like the woman’s politics at all, but good on her. No point in expecting loyalty from someone who was never given it. Morrison doesn’t believe women have ‘ merit’ so stuff him.
Notice the men are silent, so they are gutless and no better.
No turning of the cheek, as STB recommended by JC, then?
More like YHWH showing his posterior cheeks to Moses – Exodus 33:22-25
I stick to science. For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction.
I have no time for Senator F. Wells and her right wing religious beliefs. However I think her judgement of the Prime Minister is spot on. He has always seemed to me to be a cardboard cut out of a christian, a man who used religion as a prop or as a tool. The Senator’s speech may be the only useful thing she has contributed, and well done.
Thanks for putting into words what I’ve been thinking for some time.
SM will do anything but hold a hose.
Unless it is spraying money around marginal LNP seats.
I think Morrison does believe. But his version of Christianity is self serving. How dare he compare himself to Tutu and Wilberforce. One gospel quote we’ll never hear from him: Matthew quoting Jesus excoriating people who pray in front of an audience to enhance their own image.
The Jesus narrative clearly shows him as a communist. How prosperity religion started is beyond me.
Communists don’t believe in religion or god. Karl Marx said it was the ‘opium of the masses’. He was spot on and I am not a communist!
Two aspects to be considered.
The actions of Jesus the man definately falls into that socialist philosophical area.
Remember the bible was written well after his death by people who had never met him. There are no formal records of his words. I think lawyers call it here say.
Thus was Karl refering to the philosophy of the man or the institution which is quiet a different perspective. I don’t believe he stated any particular religion or denomination. Is religion equivalent to an opiate for Scomo?
The four canonical gospels were probably written between AD 66 and 110. All four were anonymous (with the modern names added in the 2nd century), almost certainly none were by eyewitnesses, and all are the end-products of long oral and written transmission. Mark was the first to be written, using a variety of sources.
John lived into old age at Ephesus & certainly could have written his Gospel. The letter of Paul were also written by him. He may not have personally known Jesus but he certainly knew the Apostles.
Christians do NOT lock refugees! To do so is a direct, unambiguous denial of the clear direction by Jesus Christ to his followers in his Second Great Commandment.
Decent, civilised people don’t imprison refugees. Especially children.
Indeed. But breaking the direct order of your leader destroys your credibility.
Believing is easy. People believe all sorts of tosh. Education seems to be wasted on most people IMHO. There are millions of men out there just like him, many professing some sort of ‘ faith’ to hide behind, many not, yet they behave the same. There is nothing Christian about him. He needs to grow up and become a responsible person, instead of being the schoolyard bully. He is pathetic and embarrassing to watch. His church attendance is all part of the con and his misogyny is galling.
Morrison’s type of religion is very mush against the teachings of Jesus Christ in the New Testament Gospels. No one who holds to the Beatitudes and the Two Great Commandments would ever lock up refugees