A dossier of lies and falsehoods ... from Crikey
May 26, 2021
Here are 27 examples of how Prime Minister Scott Morrison manipulates the truth.
1.
Morrison: As a government, we believe in the two-state solution. It seems now in politics here in Australia that isno longer a bipartisan view, and I think thats disappointing.1
**The truth:**On May 13, Labors foreign affairs spokesperson Penny Wong issued a statement on the Palestine crisis, sayingwe remain committed to a just and enduring two-state solution.2
1Address, budget lunch, May 15, 2021
2Violence in Israel, Gaza and Jerusalem, Penny Wong, May 13, 2021
2.
Morrison:[On Taiwan] Weve always understood the one system, two countries arrangementand we will continue to follow our policies there One country, two systems, I should say.1
**The truth:**There is no one country, two systems arrangement in relation to Taiwan recognised by Australia; government officials briefed journalists that it was a mistake and the prime minister had meant to refer to Hong Kong, where one country, two systems has long been accepted.
However, the prime minister, when asked in a later interview with SBS on May 12 (the transcript of which has not been published by the prime ministers office)did you make a mistake in that comment?, answered noand added what we know is that we have a situation with China in which weve recognised how they see these relationships in the region, and particularly in relation to Taiwan and Hong Kong and things of that nature.
This again misstates Australias position, as Australia does not recognise Chinas claim to Taiwan, but merely acknowledges that China makes the claim.2, 3
1Interview with Neil Mitchell, May 6, 2021
2SBS, May 12, 2021
3ABC, May 13, 2021
3.
**Morrison:**Our current target will see Australia this is for 2030 reduce our emissions by70% per unit of GDPon 2005 levels1
**The truth:**The governments own documents state: The emissions intensity of the economy (Gross Domestic Product (GDP)) has continued to decline and is projectedto fall by 58%from 2005 to 2030.2, 3
1Address to theBusiness Council of Australia, April 19, 2021
2Australias emissions projections 2020, December 2020, Department of Industry, Science, Energy and Resources
4.
**Morrison:**I want to stress that at no time yesterdaydid I make any comment about the actions of the European Union, nor did I indicateany of the background reasons for the lack of supplythat we have received from those contracted doses. And so, any suggestion that I, in any way, made any criticism of the European Union yesterday, would be completely incorrect.1
**The truth:**Morrison said the previous day about reasons for slow vaccine rollout, the supply is the major restraint and always has been, whether its been the non-delivery of vaccines from overseas,some 3 million that we were relying upon, and we all are aware of the situation in Europe and other places that has frustrated that supply.2
1Media conference, April 7, 2021
2Media conference, April 6, 2021
5.
**Morrison:**Right now, you [a Sky News journalist] would be aware that in your own organisation that there is a person whohas had a complaint made against them for harassment of a womanin a womens toilet and thatmatter is being pursuedby your own HR department.1
**The truth:**No such complaint of harassment was ever made. As Morrison admitted in a late-night apology the same day, I deeply regret my insensitive response to a question from a News Ltd journalist by making an anonymous reference to an incident at News Ltd that has been rejected by the company. I accept their account. I was wrong to raise it, the emotion of the moment is no excuse.2
1Media conference, March 23, 2021
2Facebook post, March 23, 2021
6.
**Morrison:**As Ive indicated to the House before and Ill indicate again today, this work [the inquiry into who knew about Brittany Higgins in the prime ministers office]is being doneby the secretary of my department He has not provided me with a further update about when I might expect that report,but I have no doubtthe opposition will be able to ask questions of him in Senate estimates next week, which is the appropriate place where those matters can be raised with the secretary of my department.1
**The truth:**According to Phil Gaetjens, the head of Prime Minister and Cabinet (PM&C), heupdated Morrison on March 9that his inquiry wasplaced on indefinite holdwhile police investigations were undertaken. Gaetjensrefused to answerany questions at estimates.
1Question time, March 18, 2021
2Gaetjens evidence to Senate estimates, March 22, 2021
7.
**Morrison:**I thank the member for his question [about former Liberal ministers travelling overseas during the pandemic] and wonder why hed want to bring personalities into this,given that Mr Rudd has done the same thing.1
**The truth:**Kevin Ruddnever left the countryduring the pandemic. Morrison was forced to apologise to Rudd that day.2
1Question time, December 7, 2020
2Letter to the clerk of the House of Representatives, December 7, 2020
8.
**Morrison:**There are 40 ships, and Im told theres some 90,000 containers out there [delayed by industrial action]. Thatincludes medical supplies. I mean we cannot have the militant end of the union movement effectively engaging in a campaign of extortion against the Australian people in the middle of a COVID-19 recession You can go down to Port Botany or down to Kurnell and have a look out there andyou can see them lining up1
**The truth:**Seven vessels were either waiting or had just arrived at Port Botany when Morrison made the claim. Three were delayed. The stevedoring company statedno medical supplieswere affected by the dispute.2, 3
1Media conference, September 29, 2020
2RMIT Fact Check, October 9, 2020
3The Sydney Morning Herald, September 30, 2020
Video(starting at 21:38)
9.
**Morrison:**The agreement puts Australia at thetop of the queue, if our medical experts give the vaccines the green light.1
**The truth:**Australias vaccination rollout began on February 22, 2021. By that date, according to the_Financial Times_global tracker, over200 million vaccinations had already been delivered worldwide. The Australian rollout schedule was subsequentlydelayed repeatedlydue to the governments inability to source vaccines.2, 3
1Media release, September 7, 2020
2Screenshotof the_FT_tracker for February 22, 2021
3Media conference, April 6, 2021
10.
**Morrison:**The authority for making the decisions in relation to that program [sports grants] was the minister for sport. That is the fact, Mr Speaker. It may be inconvenient to the opposition, but that is the fact.The only authority sought from the prime ministers office and from me was in relation to announcements.1
**The truth:**Evidence from the Australian National Audit Office (ANAO) shows thatMorrisons office dictated the removal and addition of sports grants to the minister for sports officefor the political benefit of the government. The ANAO stated on March 26, 2019 the prime ministers office had advised the ministers office that it was expected that the minister would write to the prime minister to seek authority on the approved projects and inform him of the rollout plan’.2
1Question time, May 13, 2020
2Letter from the auditor-generalon April 16, 2020 to the Senate Select Committee on the Administration of Sports Grants
11.
**Morrison:**The head of the PM&C had access towhatever document he required[when preparing his report into the sports rorts scandal].1
**The truth:**In his submission to the Senate Select Committee on Administration of Sports Grants, Secretary of the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet Phil Gaetjens said: It is important to note that the auditor-general is not required to share audit information with external parties in most cases, nor do I have the power to compel information from individuals. In this case,the auditor-general did not provide any information to me that the ANAO used for its audit.2
1Question time, February 26, 2020
2Submission by Gaetjensto the Senate Select Committee on the Administration of Sports Grants, February 14, 2020
Video(starting at 14:55)
12.
**Morrison:**I think its important to note that the auditor-general did not findthere were any ineligible projects that were funded under this scheme, and nor did he say that rules had been broken.1
**The truth:**Officials from the ANAO told a Senate inquiry that43% of projects funded under the program were ineligible when agreements were signed. Morrison had cited the ANAOs original report, which said no applicationsassessed as ineligiblewere awarded grant funding. But officials explained this related to Sport Australias assessment of ineligibility. Many projects that were ineligible under program guidelines but wrongly assessed as eligible were funded.2
1National Press Club Q&A, January 29, 2020
2ANAO evidenceto Senate Select Committee on Administration of Sports Grants, February 13, 2020
Video(starting at 2:05)
13.
**Morrison:**Well, I just reject the premise of the question [as to whether the government believed there was nothing wrong with using public funds for its own private political interests]. Thats not why we did it You can have an editorial on it if you like and youre welcome to that. Butthats not why I did it. And thats not why the government did it.1
**The truth:**The ANAOs independent report concluded the $100 million community sport infrastructure fund wastargeted towards marginal or Coalition-held seats, with the government usinga spreadsheet colour-coded by electorateto determine who should receive funding.2
1National Press Club Q&A, January 29, 2020
2ANAO report, January 15, 2020
Video(starting at 3:17)
14.
**Morrison:**There isno credible energy transition plan, for an economy like Australia in particular, that does not involve the greater use of gasas an important transition fuel.1
**The truth:**There aremany energy transition plans that involve less gas, including the one by the independent Australian Energy Market Operator. On the other hand, there are no transition plans that involve a greater use of gas.2
1National Press Club speech, January 29, 2020
2AsGuardian Australiareported, the following reports all recommend transitions with less gas:Australian Energy Market Operator,Beyond Zero Emissions,ClimateWorks,ANU,UNSW,Institute for Sustainable Futures,Stanford University,CSIRO and the Energy Networks Association, theFinkel review, andPwC and Jacobs.
15.
**Morrison:**We will reduce our carbon emissions per capita by half between now and 2030 our per capita emissions willfall by half over the next 10 years.1
**The truth:**The governments December 2019 emissions forecast (current when Morrison spoke) showed per capita emissions falling from 21 tonnes per person to 17 tonnes per person in 2030 a fall of 19%, not 50%, over the next 10 years. The governments December 2020 emissions forecast did not materially alter that forecast.2, 3
1Interview with Allison Langdon and Karl Stefanovic, January 20, 2020
2Australias emissions projections 2019
3Australias emissions projections 2020
Video(starting at 4:16)
16.
**Morrison:**Emissions today are50 million tonnes less on average each year under our government than under the previous government.1
**The truth:**The governments then-current quarterly National Greenhouse Gas Inventory data showed emissions were 537.5 million tonnes in 2012-2013 compared with 532 million tonnes in 2018-19 5 million tonnes (not 50 million tonnes) less. In 2020, the data for those years had been revised to 539.1 million tonnes in 2012-13 and 529.5 in 2018-19, or a difference of nearly 10 million tonnes.2, 3
1Interview with David Speers, January 12, 2020
2Quarterly Update of Australias National Greenhouse Gas Inventory: June 2019
3Quarterly Update of Australias National Greenhouse Gas Inventory: June 2020
17.
**Morrison:**I should stress that there is no dispute in this country about the issue of climate change globally, and its effect on global weather patterns, and that includes how that impacts in Australia I have seen a number of people suggest that somehow the government does not make this connection.The government I lead has always made that connection and that has never been in dispute.1
**The truth:**Several of Morrisons ministers and backbenchers have disputed the connection between climate change and bushfires. Ministers or then-ministers who have done so include:
David Littleproud, September 11, 2019: Im not a scientist. I havent made an opinion one way or the other I dont think it really matters.
Peter Dutton, February 5, 2020: Did the bushfires start in some of these regions because of climate change? No. It started because somebody lit a match.
Matt Canavan, December 12, 2019: The fires have not started due to climate change, theyve started because some silly people have done some stupid things This attempt to link an event to one cause, is simply clearly, manifestly wrong.
1Media conference, January 5, 2020
18.
**Morrison:**The video message [which the Liberal Party ran during this summers bushfires] simply communicatesthe governments policy decisionsand the actions the government is undertaking to the public.1
**The truth:**The ad was on behalf of the Liberal Party, authorised by the Liberal Party and the host page solicited donations to the Liberal Party.2,3
1Statement on Twitter, January 4, 2020
2Liberal Party media release, January 4, 2020
3news.com.aureport, January 5, 2020
19.
**Morrison:**Well Zoey [Salucci-McDermott, a bushfire victim in Cobargo] and I did speak, actually, and she did raise the issue of her concerns about the level of support for the local brigade that was there. That was the matter that she raised with me. And I said Id pass that on to the New South Wales Rural Fire Service We talked about what she was asking for, which was greater support for the firefighting effort in that part of New South Wales. So we talked about that.1, 2
**The truth:**The only words Morrison said to Zoey Salucci-McDermott, whom he met for a few seconds on a meet-and-greet with residents in Cobargo during the bushfires, wereI understand, I understand.
1Interview with Leila McKinnon, January 3, 2020
2Media conference, January 3, 2020
20.
**Morrison:**We took the advice of the fire commissioners. And the fire commissioners advice were [sic] the same as that which is being provided. Soweve acted on that advice.1
**The truth:**The National Aerial Firefighting Centre, which is overseen by the National Council for Fire and Emergency Services, asked for significant extra funding in late 2017,which was refused by the government.2
1Media conference_,_January 3, 2020
2The Sydney Morning Herald, January 5, 2020
Video(starts at 20:22)
21.
**Morrison:**I refer to March 2013 Ross Mitchell, a detective in Victoria Polices fraud squad, stated that prime minister Julia Gillard was under investigation over her role in the creation of an AWU slush fund. He said: Let me make this perfectly clear.The prime minister of Australia, Julia Gillard, is under investigation by police. This is fact.1
**The truth:**These comments werein fact made by Sydney radio host Ben Fordham in 2013. Then-attorney-general and leader of the house Christian Porter was forced to provide a letter to the Speaker of the House acknowledging the falsehood hours later.2, 3
1Question time, November 27, 2019
2The Australian, April 27, 2013
3Parliamentary documents, November 27, 2019
22.
Morrison:[On whether he had asked the Trump administration to invite Hillsong pastor Brian Houston to a White House state dinner]Its gossip.When pressed as to whether it was true or not, he repeated that it was gossip and that he had already answered the question of whether it was true or not.1
**The truth:**After months of refusing to answer the question and dismissing the story as gossip, Morrison told Ben Fordham on 2GB on March 3, 2020 thathe had included the Hillsong leader on a list of potential gueststhat was ultimately decided by the White House. On that occasion, we put forward a number of names, that included Brian, but not everybody whose names we put forward were invited, Morrison said.2
1Media conference, September 21, 2019
2Interview on 2GB, March 3, 2020
23.
Morrison:[Asked why it wasnt racist to call Sam Dastyari Shanghai Sam]I didnt use either of those phrases.1
**The truth:**Morrison repeatedly used the phrase Shanghai Sam intweetsandinterviews. He later explained I was referring to the word racist that I heard twice in the question and Ive got to say my focus was on the bushfires.2
1Media conference, September 13, 2019
22GB radio interview, September 13, 2019
24.
Morrison:[An electric vehicle is]not going to tow your trailer. Its not going to tow your boat. Its not going to get you out to your favourite camping spot with your family.1
**The truth:**Standard electric vehicles then on the market when this statement was made could travel, on average, 300 to 400 kilometres on a single charge. Some models the Tesla Model X, for example could reach up to 500 kilometres, with towing capacity.2
BONUS LIE
Morrison:[On electric vehicles] I didnt ridicule that technology, thats good technology.3
12019 election campaign, April 7, 2019
2RMIT Fact Check, May 17, 2019
3Media conference, March 31, 2021
25.
**Morrison:**The fact that Bill Shorten, as a former financial services minister and an assistant treasurer, doesnt understand the complexity of these measures he doesnt understand how to legislate financial services reform. Now, theres a good reason hes never done it! They didnt do it when they were in government last time. They had Storm Financial, they had all of those nothing, zip, zero.1
**The truth:**As financial services minister, Bill Shortennegotiated the passageofmajor financial services regulation changes, including the Future of Financial Advice reforms, through a hung parliament in 2012. After winning the federal election in 2013, the Coalition tried repeatedly to dilute the reforms, aimed at protecting consumers, but were unsuccessful.2
1National Press Club Q&A, February 11, 2019
2Corporations Amendment (Future of Financial Advice) Bill 2011
26.
**Morrison:**Someone who is a paedophile, a rapist, who has committed murder, any of these other crimes,can just be moved on the say-so of a couple of doctors on Skype.1
**The truth:**Under the medivac bill being discussed at that point, the ministercould refuse a transfer on security or serious character grounds. A later version of the bill went further, to include ministerial discretion in three areas, including on the grounds that the minister suspects the transferee has a substantial criminal record or would expose the Australian community to a serious risk of criminal conduct.2
1Interview on Sky News, February 5, 2019
2Migration Amendment (Urgent Medical Treatment) Bill 2018
3Migration Amendment (Repairing Medical Transfers) Bill 2019
27.
**Morrison:**The latest projections report confirms our government has set Australia on trackto meet and beat our 2030 target.1
**The truth:**The then-current 2018 Australias Emissions Projections 2018 on which Morrison was commenting showed that in 2030 Australia was projected to emit more than 115 Mt CO2-e more than the lower target of 26% below 2005 levels. In terms of cumulative emissions, Australia was projected to be 328 Mt CO2-e above its lower target level by 2030 even using Kyoto carryover credits, which have been criticised internationally.
The current, post-pandemic projection for 2020 is thatAustralia will still be well above the 26% target in 2030. Only the inclusion of a special scenario, based on the governments Technology Investment Roadmap, allows a forecast that comes in just above the upper target of 28% below 2005 levels.2
1Morrison statement reportedDecember 21, 2018
2Australias emissions projections 2020
This dossier was compiled by Bernard Keane, Georgia Wilkins and David Hardaker and republished from Crikey. Click here to view the original list.