Australia politics live update: Albanese says PM has ‘a problem with just telling the truth’ as Morrison faces growing backbench resistance
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Anthony Albanese was also asked about the text Scott Morrison sent him in 2019, ahead of his Hawaiian holiday during the 2019 bushfires.
For those who need a refresher, Labor, as part of a “let’s remind everyone of all those times the prime minister didn’t tell the truth” campaign in QT, asked why the PMO had misled journalists over the whereabouts of the prime minister as Australia burned.
I can only speak to what I have said, as the leader of the opposition will know, because I texted him from the plane when I was going on that leave and told him where I was going, and he was fully aware of where I was travelling with my family.
Where I was going was on leave. That was the importance of the text message sent to the leader of the opposition. He knew I was taking leave. I told him I was taking leave. He chose to politicise that and has done so ever since.
I wish to add to an answer. I want to confirm what the leader of the opposition said – that, in that text, I did not tell him the destination of where I was going on leave with my family; I simply communicated to him that I was taking leave. When I referred to him knowing where I was going and being fully aware I was travelling with my family, what I meant was that we were going on leave together. I know I didn’t tell him where we were going, because where members take leave is a private matter. I know I didn’t tell him the destination, nor would I, and nor would he expect me to have told him where I was going. I simply told him that I was taking leave with my family, and he was aware of that at that time.
I just think this is a prime minister who can’t control his own party room, let alone capable of governing us into the future in the way that we need.
If you can’t govern your party, how can you govern the country?
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