Of all the choices Scott Morrison could take, the decision to sink the boot into Malcolm Turnbull for telling the truth was not the wisest.
A few facts:
Morrison, the new Prime Minister, chose to send Malcolm Turnbull, the leader he replaced, to a conference in Indonesia because he couldn’t go himself, and he wanted “to ensure that we had very senior-level representation.”
In fact, Morrison could hardly attend, having just announced, apropos of nothing but panic at the byelection in Turnbull’s former seat of Wentworth, that he was thinking about moving Australia’s embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.
Anyone who thought about it for more than a second knew such a thought-bubble was guaranteed to inflame relations with Australia’s nearest large neighbour. Indonesia is the most populous Muslim-majority nation in the world.
Sure enough, within hours, Indonesia started threatening the trade relationship with Australia.
Meanwhile, Morrison’s ham-fisted attempt to win over Jewish voters in Wentworth turned out to be worthless: the conservatives lost the seat for the first time in 117 years.
In sending Turnbull to Indonesia for talks with the Indonesian President, Joko Widodo, did Morrison imagine the subjects of Jerusalem and trade wouldn’t get a solid workout?
Well then. Surprise, surprise.
Turnbull, asked about the out-of-the-blue Jerusalem proposal, declared "there is no question, were that move to occur, it would be met with a very negative reaction in Indonesia."
The only controversial aspect of that comment is that it is the plain truth.
It’s a truth, of course, that the new PM couldn’t stomach. It showed him up as an amateur in international affairs and an opportunist in domestic politics.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison has taken a swipe at his predecessor, Malcolm Turnbull, saying he should stay out of politics on Alan Jones' show on Thursday. Audio source: 2GB
Still, it is hardly unusual for political leaders to find themselves chewing on unpalatable facts. The more sensible of them swallow uncomfortably and move on.
Morrison, instead, doubled down by going on Alan Jones’s regularly hyper-hysterical Sydney radio program to declare (a) that Turnbull won’t be representing his government overseas again, and (b) that Turnbull had overstepped what he was authorised to discuss.
"The issue of trade and other things was not really part of his brief,” said Morrison.
Once Turnbull had calmed enough to use his tweeting thumb, he let fly, essentially accusing Morrison of lying.
"A few facts," Turnbull tapped. "Scott Morrison asked me to discuss trade and the embassy issue in Bali and we had a call before I left to confirm his messages which I duly relayed to [President Widodo].
“There was a detailed paper on the issue in my official brief as well."
Oh, dear. A detailed paper.
That sounded very ominous indeed. It's known in the legal trade as a smoking gun.
Morrison, in short, turned a boneheaded idea, first championed by Donald Trump, into proof that just when he needs political momentum, he is capable of transforming a minor embarrassment into a full-blown shambles.
Shortly after Turnbull's fact-dealing tweet, Morrison rushed out an egg-on-face statement admitting that he had over-egged his confection.
"As head of delegation, he [Turnbull] was briefed on appropriate responses on other issues that could be raised in any direct discussions with the President, in his role as head of delegation," panted Morrison, clearly having lost his nerve at the whiff of smoking gun.
"Accordingly there were briefings dealing with the issues he has referred to."
Yes, indeed. A shambles of the first order.
A few facts:
Morrison, the new Prime Minister, chose to send Malcolm Turnbull, the leader he replaced, to a conference in Indonesia because he couldn’t go himself, and he wanted “to ensure that we had very senior-level representation.”
In fact, Morrison could hardly attend, having just announced, apropos of nothing but panic at the byelection in Turnbull’s former seat of Wentworth, that he was thinking about moving Australia’s embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.
Anyone who thought about it for more than a second knew such a thought-bubble was guaranteed to inflame relations with Australia’s nearest large neighbour. Indonesia is the most populous Muslim-majority nation in the world.
Sure enough, within hours, Indonesia started threatening the trade relationship with Australia.
Meanwhile, Morrison’s ham-fisted attempt to win over Jewish voters in Wentworth turned out to be worthless: the conservatives lost the seat for the first time in 117 years.
In sending Turnbull to Indonesia for talks with the Indonesian President, Joko Widodo, did Morrison imagine the subjects of Jerusalem and trade wouldn’t get a solid workout?
Well then. Surprise, surprise.
Turnbull, asked about the out-of-the-blue Jerusalem proposal, declared "there is no question, were that move to occur, it would be met with a very negative reaction in Indonesia."
The only controversial aspect of that comment is that it is the plain truth.
It’s a truth, of course, that the new PM couldn’t stomach. It showed him up as an amateur in international affairs and an opportunist in domestic politics.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison has taken a swipe at his predecessor, Malcolm Turnbull, saying he should stay out of politics on Alan Jones' show on Thursday. Audio source: 2GB
Still, it is hardly unusual for political leaders to find themselves chewing on unpalatable facts. The more sensible of them swallow uncomfortably and move on.
Morrison, instead, doubled down by going on Alan Jones’s regularly hyper-hysterical Sydney radio program to declare (a) that Turnbull won’t be representing his government overseas again, and (b) that Turnbull had overstepped what he was authorised to discuss.
"The issue of trade and other things was not really part of his brief,” said Morrison.
Once Turnbull had calmed enough to use his tweeting thumb, he let fly, essentially accusing Morrison of lying.
"A few facts," Turnbull tapped. "Scott Morrison asked me to discuss trade and the embassy issue in Bali and we had a call before I left to confirm his messages which I duly relayed to [President Widodo].
“There was a detailed paper on the issue in my official brief as well."
Oh, dear. A detailed paper.
That sounded very ominous indeed. It's known in the legal trade as a smoking gun.
Morrison, in short, turned a boneheaded idea, first championed by Donald Trump, into proof that just when he needs political momentum, he is capable of transforming a minor embarrassment into a full-blown shambles.
Shortly after Turnbull's fact-dealing tweet, Morrison rushed out an egg-on-face statement admitting that he had over-egged his confection.
"As head of delegation, he [Turnbull] was briefed on appropriate responses on other issues that could be raised in any direct discussions with the President, in his role as head of delegation," panted Morrison, clearly having lost his nerve at the whiff of smoking gun.
"Accordingly there were briefings dealing with the issues he has referred to."
Yes, indeed. A shambles of the first order.
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