Prime Minister Scott Morrison has denied he made negative remarks about the ‘Lebanese background’ of his rival in the 2007 preselection battle for the seat of Cook.
The allegation against Mr Morrison emerged over the weekend in two statutory declarations signed in 2016 by Scott Chapman and Michael Towke, who were both involved in the preselection process. Mr Towke was Mr Morrison’s rival in the preselection contest.
According to the Sydney Morning Herald and the Saturday Paper, the statutory declarations state that Mr Morrison raised concerns that “a candidate of Lebanese heritage could not hold the seat of Cook, especially after the Cronulla riots”, and that there was a strong rumour that Mr Towke was “actually a Moslem [sic]”.
Mr Morrison has rejected any claims that he racially vilified Mr Towke, describing the allegations as “bitter and malicious slurs.” Mr Towke stands by his statutory declaration.
Not the first criticism over race-related comments
Mr Morrison is no stranger to criticism when it comes to race-related issues. Here are five recent examples.
In February this year, Mr Morrison came under fire for his address on the anniversary of the National Apology to the Stolen Generations.
He apologised for the “lives damaged and destroyed” in his speech and then looked for forgiveness.
"It’s an act of grace. It’s an act of courage. And it is a gift that only those who have been wounded, damaged and destroyed can offer," he said.
"I also said fourteen years ago, “sorry is not the hardest word to say, the hardest is I forgive you”.
The First Peoples Assembly of Victoria offered a four-word statement to his comments.
“Get in the bin," it said.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison during his National Apology address. Source: AAP
‘Not a particularly flash day either’
In January 2021, The Prime Minister criticised Cricket Australia for their avoidance of the term ‘Australia Day’ in their Big Bash League promotions.
Mr Morrison said the organisation should focus “a bit more” on cricket and “a bit less on politics”. He felt their choices were “pretty ordinary”.
These comments came the same day as comments Mr Morrison made to the media about January 26.
"On Australia Day, it's all about acknowledging how far we've come," Mr Morrison said.
"You know, when those 12 ships turned up in Sydney, it wasn't a particularly flash day for the people on those vessels either."
Wiradjuri man and cricketer Dan Christian told him to "read the room".
“It felt like a bit of an ignorance on his behalf to not acknowledge the way I think the majority of people feel," he told Newscorp at the time.
Protesters are seen during an Invasion Day rally in Melbourne. Source: AAP
'Thankful for the wonderful country we live in'
Following the murder of African-American man George Floyd by a white police officer in June of 2020, the Black Lives Matter movement stretched across the globe.
With demonstrations underway in Australia, Mr Morrison warned the nation should not import the movement.
“We don’t need the divisions that we’re seeing in other countries – we need to stick together and look after each other,” he said at the time.
Mr Morrison also appeared on radio and referred to a meme of Civil Rights activist Dr Martin Luther King Jr.
“I saw a good meme on the weekend – Martin Luther King didn’t change anything by burning anything down or by looting any shops,” he said.
“I just think to myself how wonderful a country is Australia . . . But when I see things like that, I'm just very thankful for the wonderful country we live in.”
The National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Legal Services' co-chair Nerita Waight was critical of the statement.
“The Prime Minister, like others before him, has chosen to ignore this country’s legacy of Aboriginal deaths in custody,” she said.
The Prime Minister also demanded an end to the Black Lives Matter rallies across the country, alleging they have been “taken over by much more politically driven left-wing agendas”.
Mr Morrison accused those in attendance of setting back progress to lift COVID-19 public health orders.
"The double standards that [those attending] allowed themselves to perpetrate by turning up has offended, rightly I think, Australians right across the country,” he said.
"The way that it was done and the suggestion that they might do it again risks public support for even the issue they raise."
Shadow minister for Indigenous Australians Linda Burney responded to his comments.
"What's absolutely crucial is people make their decisions after they consider the health advice," she said.
"The last thing we need at the moment are statements such as the Prime Minister's, which are quite contentious and antagonistic.
"What's required right now is strong political leadership and understanding that people are very serious about deaths in custody."
Thousands of protesters at Adelaide's Victoria Square demonstrating in support of the Black Lives Matter movement. Source: Sipa USA Oliver Haynes / SOPA Images/Sipa
'There was no slavery in Australia'
That same month - the Prime Minister said Australia was founded on the “basis that there’d be no slavery”.
"And while slave ships continued to travel around the world, when Australia was established yes, sure, it was a pretty brutal settlement," he said.
"My forefathers and foremothers were on the First and Second Fleets. It was a pretty brutal place, but there was no slavery in Australia."
One day later, Mr Morrison walked back his comments at National Cabinet.
"The comments I was referring to was how the New South Wales settlement was first established and the views that were communicated at the time in forming the New South Wales colony," Mr Morrison said.
"One of the principles was to be that Australia, or in that case NSW, was not to have lawful slavery. And that was indeed the case, there was not the laws that have ever approved of slavery in this country.”
He noted that his comments were “not intended to give offence” and apologised for any offence they made.
Secretariat of National Aboriginal and Islander Child Care (SNAICC) CEO and Meriam man, Richard Western described the Prime Minister’s comments as “ill-informed”.
"What he's ignoring is the way Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people were treated here, propping up industries like the pastoral industry, farming, mining industry, the pearling industry in the Torres Strait," he said.
"We also all know about the black-birding of people from the South Pacific, into Queensland to work on cane plantation - These are all forms of slavery."
Source: Treaty Republic
Not 'one and free'
On January 1st 2021, the Morrison Government officially changed the lyrics of Advance Australia Fair from “young and free” to “one and free”.
“Our country’s story is ancient as are the stories of many First Nations Peoples whose stewardship we rightly acknowledge and respect,” said Mr Morrison in a statement.
The change came through consultation with state and territory governments, however, there was little consultation with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.
“While we have no constitutionally recognised representative body to speak for ourselves – collectively as Indigenous people. This ‘tweak’ is just another decision made WITHOUT us, and not as ‘one’,” wrote Torres Strait author Thomas Mayor on Twitter.
“It’s the same as why the 26 January debate is useless without a Voice.”
Also on the anthem, in October 2020, the National Rugby League announced it would scrap the song from being sung ahead of State of Origin games.
The decision followed Indigenous players refusing to sing, with their stances clear on the match broadcasts.
ARLC Chairman Peter V’landys said the decision was “never about politics” and rather it was the commission listening to fans.
“We have heard the message and acted accordingly,” he said.
But Within two hours of the landmark decision, the NRL backflipped – after V'landys received a phone call directly from the Prime Minister.
Latrell Mitchell, Josh Addo-Carr Cody Walker during the Australian National Anthem prior to Game 1 of the 2019 State of Origin series. (AAP Image/Dave Hunt) Source: AAP
