Scott Morrison – Scott Morrison refuses to commit to Western Australian opposition leader on the campaign trail
Scott Morrison refuses to commit to joining doomed Western Australian Liberal opposition leader on the campaign trail
- Mr Morrison’s spokesperson said he may not go to WA due to calendar conflicts
- The prime minister would be able to fly to WA from the ACT without quarantining
- In October, Mr Morrison flew to Queensland to help the LNP leader’s campaign
The Prime Minister has refused to commit to joining the Western Australian opposition leader’s campaign trail.
WA Liberal leader Zak Kirkup was delivered a potentially fatal blow on Saturday when Scott Morrison’s spokesperson said the leader may not be able fly over due to calendar conflicts.
‘He is assessing all the options at the moment,’ the spokesman said. ‘It could go either way at this stage.’
WA Liberal leader Zak Kirkup (pictured) invited Scott Morrison to join him on his campaign trail
Pictured: Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison inside a Volvo truck during a visit to the Wacol Volvo truck production facility in Brisbane on January 22
‘But it just depends on the PM’s calendar. It depends on the whole situation at the time.’
The spokesperson said Mr Morrison have have to reassess closer to the date but added that he ‘loves’ going to WA, despite going there in his own campaign during the 2019 federal election.
Mr Kirkup, who has struggled to make a good impression on WA residents, is trying to win people over after a disastrous election result in 2017 that saw Labor leader Mark McGowan win 41 of the 59 seats.
Pictured: Mr Morrison standing in the rain during a visit to the saleyards in Winton, Queensland, on January 19
Despite a lack of Liberal presence in the Legislative Assembly, Mr Morrison has remained extremely popular in the state with federal party winning 11 of 16 seats in 2019.
While Mr Kirkup has blamed coronavirus border restrictions on Mr Morrison’s refusal to accept the invitation, ACT residents do not have to quarantine upon arrival in WA.
‘While we’re hopeful he’ll be able to get across during the campaign, the reality is that Covid travel restrictions might make that too difficult to plan in advance,’ Mr Kirkup said, according to The West Australian.
The Prime Minister will spend the next month in Federal Parliament in Canberra, which would allow him to fly in to the western state and help with the campaign immediately.
Pictured: Mr Morrison feeds a goat during a visit to Tully family property Bunginderry Station outside Quilpie, Queensland on January 19
A police spokesperson told the publication that Mr Morrison would be allowed to fly to WA from any other state under special exemptions.
‘The Prime Minister and his staff, if performing a Commonwealth function, could be granted a modified quarantine direction which accommodates their Commonwealth duties and provides an exemption to the 14 days of self-quarantine if arriving from a low-risk jurisdiction,’ the spokesman said.
Mr Morrison flew to Queensland in October to assist Liberal leader Deb Frecklington’s campaign.
The state election in Western Australia will be held on March 13.
