PM Scott Morrison criticised for taking jab at Premiers, then at all Australians

Scott Morrison has found himself in hot water again, over comments that seemingly blasted state premiers for the many effective protective measures that have been taken across the course of this pandemic, to keep Australian citizens safe.

On the evening of Monday, December 13, Scott Morrison made a speech addressing attendees at the annual Sydney Institute dinner. In one part of the speech, Morrison said:

“This evening, I want to talk to you about three take outs, my own take outs from this testing time in our nation’s history and explore how we intend to apply those lessons and that experience garnered to secure Australia’s future as a government.

“Firstly, the best bet you can always make, especially in a crisis, is to bet on the Australian people each and every time.

“Australians possess a quiet confidence, it’s not boastful, it’s a confidence and desire to do better, to aspire to live in peace and safety, to be able to care for others. It’s a confidence to think big, but not big note, to be responsible for our own individual actions and those of our families and to strive to be in control of our future. And it’s this quiet confidence that has built this country. Established our freedoms, our system of democracy, our economic strength and our ability to thrive as a nation.

“It’s a confidence that enables us to believe that whatever happens, whatever comes our way, we can push through.

“We can deal with it and preserve our unique and enviable way of life. During the pandemic, our confidence has been put to the test, but it has not been found wanting.

“Our way of life has been put on hold. While necessary, it is not normal for government to tell Australians where we can go and can’t go, who we can and can’t invite into our homes, to stay home, to close our businesses.

“It is not normal to keep track of where we’ve been. Not be allowed to visit friends or relatives. To go to funerals and to weddings. Or go out to dinner or to the pub. None of these restrictions belong in the lives of Australians.

“Australians don’t like it. I don’t like it. Yet for the greater good, we have done it. We have denied ourselves in that way. And we got on with our lives despite the conditions to be as best as we possibly could be because we knew it would be temporary. We knew that on the other side was something that we will never, if ever we did, take for granted again: our freedom. And so Australians kept their side of the deal.

“And it is now time for governments to keep theirs. To step back. And let Australians step forward. To put Australians back in charge of their own lives, relying on the connecting points and relationships that exist between the state and the individual to bridge the gap. Our communities.”

These remarks have been widely criticised since Morrison’s speech, with many saying Morrison’s comments were an unnecessary sledge on state premiers, who were handed the reigns at the very beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic. You can watch the entire speech below.

However this morning, December 14, Morrison seemed to backpedal himself away from this firm stance – that premiers had too much control – instead blaming Australia’s population for slow vaccination rates, and in doing so, calling Australians sheep.

Australia PM Scott Morrison refers to people getting the vaccine as “Sheep” pic.twitter.com/iTceWIW6GW

— Darryl Samons (@UncannyOrb) December 13, 2021

It seems like a pretty baaaaaaa-d time to criticise Aussies, as we head into election season; don’t ewe think?