Scott Morrison leaked a 15-page US government document to embarrass President Joe Biden, but the Australian media are totally focused on French President Emmanuel Macron calling Scott Morrison a liar and Morrison then leaking text messages.
Given our trade and defence ties with the US are the most important we have, then the leaking of the 15-page report could likely end up being a lot more damaging than the controversy with France.
The leaking of the 15-page USA government document report has only been reported by the ABC’s 7.30 Report on Tuesday (2/11/21) at this stage to my knowledge which I have also reported in the below video that I published on Wednesday (3/11/21):
(The full 7.30 Report story can be watched by clicking here and the full Today Show story can be watched by clicking here)
The fight with the French will take years to mend:
Elysée officials have expressed fury at the decision of Australian prime minister, Scott Morrison, to leak a private text message from the French president, Emmanuel Macron, as the diplomatic rift between the two countries deepened.
“Confidence has been completely shattered,” a close adviser to Macron told French media on Tuesday. “Disclosing a text message exchange between heads of state or government is a pretty crude and unconventional tactic.” (Click here to read more)
Scott Morrison has a long history of leaking and bullying, especially against women such as Brittany Higgins, Grace Tame, Christine Holgate and Julia Banks who Morrison wanted to silence and undermine, so it is no surprise Morrison has used his standard strategy against Joe Biden and Emmanuel Macron. (Click here to read more)
I am no fan of Malcolm Turnbull and he has a lot of questions to answer over the submarine deal that he originally signed off on which I have previously written about (Click here to read more) but I do agree with him saying: “I’ll tell you what Scott Morrison has done. He has sacrificed Australian honour, Australian security and Australian sovereignty”
As I said in the above video the scandal will continue to grow and some in the Australian media are happy to push Scott Morison’s propaganda and lies to try and help him out of the huge hole he has dug for himself. But I cannot see the American government letting it ride and they will take some sort of action against Scott Morrison for leaking and lying but that might be behind closed doors to avoid a public fight which the world is watching Scott Morrison having with the French.
Morrison’s history of lying and leaking is likely at a far higher level than our most recent Prime Ministers but doing it on the world stage causing diplomatic scandals is taking the lies to a whole new level of scandal. It doesn’t matter how you look at it, Scott Morrison, in his around the world in 7 days tour, has managed to challenge for the title of the most hated person in the world. The biggest problem is our country will be paying for Scott Morrison’s corruption for generations to come.
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Categories: Prime Minister Scott Morrison
Well written and informative reporting KCA, very rare these days to actually find much truth in reporting, as per your earlier reportings on Naval Group and the Australian Consultant groups connection to LNP, entire saga is a disgrace, now our alleged purchase of submarines are on lay by and possibly we may see a submarine delivered in 30 years time.
Morrison’s claim that President Macron was offending Australia is another smokescreen, President Macron clearly as Mr Turnbull stated, called Morrison a liar, not referring to Australian citizens with his remark to ABCs Andrew Probins question.
Always deemed Tony Abbott as Australia’s most embarrassing PM but now quickly overtaken by Morrison.
Keep recalling former AG and now Australian High Commissioner to London, Mr G. Brandis calling then PM J. Howard ‘the lying rodent’ awaiting description of ‘lying’ Morrison from within LNP ranks. Truthfulness seems to be an issue with LNP leaders
The problem, as I see it, is that we, as a nation, need to understand the difference between a Prime Minister and a Pie Mincer.
It puts China in context now as well, which few are acknowledging here in the media in Australia. But its been the same lack of diplomacy, overbearing attitudes and shire boy naivety that dominates each time.
It started with China, a country that will still not even talk with Morrison or anyone from his government including trade minister Dan Tehan. Meanwhile our trade loss on barley, beef, and wine, is now substituted with imports from the winner called the USA. The iron ore price as now free fallen by more than half of what it was in mid-June at US$223.20 per metric ton, now currently at US$96.50 per metric tonne. China is now importing natural gas from the US as well so it can reduce its imports from Australia. It’s pulling out of Australia. So much for our GDP. No wonder the government are looking at stimulating immigration as a way to prop up GDP. We are headed for economic disaster. Inflation around the corner too.
Let’s also remember Morrison and his government ruined relations with our South Pacific island neighbours by members of his party laughing over climate change and offering no real support. We have no real friends left in our Pacific region. The relations with Indonesia are appalling as well. It’s like the country doesn’t exist.
Then France with the subs, followed by the leaked call with Macron, and that will take years to heal. It may destroy any chance of free a trade agreement with Europe and it has certainly rang the death knell for NATO, and the US’s influence over Europe. Biden must be livid. All played down in our pathetic main stream media that cannot tell us these things.
Now we know that the US relationship has also further suffered due to how Morrison did business with the French and how he leaked an entire document. (Thanks to KCA and 7:30).
Of course Morrison is used to frequently acting in this way domestically, since so much information just somehow gets leaked to Newscorp which is owned by Murdoch who is not even an Australian citizen – hasn’t been since 1985. But no foreign influence there, business being edited out of the government’s foreign influence laws. It isn’t in other countries.
Morrison just demonstrates he is an amateur on the world stage if he thinks international diplomacy can be played with in the same way he does it domestically. He shows a paucity of diplomatic skills and no capacity to act in normal social ways, a misfit on his own, and its always a game of manipulation where he hopes to remain in control through avoiding transparency, and lying his teeth off. Now the world knows, but the international community must also think: how could Australia vote in such a person as a leader?
Its easy to understand why many feel ashamed to be Australian these days, especially when he tries to deflect blame for his own actions onto all Australians by making it Australia verses France.
Sorry Scott, as and Australian I am not responsible for your decisions, and don’t use me to defend your appallingly dishonest actions.
The French maintain the submarine contract was and is still worth 50 billion dollars but Australians were told by Morrison it is costing us 90 billion dollars.
Where has Morrison stashed the hidden 40 billion dollars?
French are providing hull, propulsion, life-support, etc. Others are providing sub-systems like combat support (USA) and some weapons. 50b capital costs (French component), 40b other capital costs plus x years through-life support?
Well said George & no need for me to type out a post as you’ve covered all bases here. It’s no wonder Morrison has so many appalling nicknames.
We seem to have forgotten it was Turncoat Turnbull who signed off on the ridiculous non-nuclear nuclear submarines with France. And it is France that has defaulted on that “Agreement”. Morrison’s only mistake was not using our Diplomats to massage the message. Ask Turnbull who got what when the goodies were passed around via Costello. As a Sovereign Nation we have every right to renege on Turnbull’s deal once it went sour. Turnbull is being vexacious now the honeypot has been overturned.
Turnbull did the original deal but it was Scott Morrison who made sure his mates David Gazard and Peter Costello got a piece of the action. This article I wrote in May 2020:
“Has Scott Morrison’s best mates David Gazard and Peter Costello again fraudulently profited from Australia’s $90 billion Liberal Party / submarine slush fund?” Click here to read: https://kangaroocourtofaustralia.com/2020/05/09/has-scott-morrisons-best-mates-david-gazard-and-peter-costello-again-fraudulently-profited-from-australias-90-billion-liberal-party-submarine-slush-fund/
And this article from September 2021: “France had Scott Morrison’s mate David Gazard on their payroll for the $90 billion Submarine scam. Has Morrison pulled off one of the biggest stings ever?”
Click here to read: https://kangaroocourtofaustralia.com/2021/09/26/france-had-scott-morrisons-mate-david-gazard-on-their-payroll-for-the-90-billion-submarine-scam-has-morrison-pulled-off-one-of-the-biggest-stings-ever/
Turnbull made the original agreement, and his treasurer at the time was who? Did he say anything?
Turnbull was concerned about the nuclear issue in Australia at the time, since there has not been any discussion on going nuclear with any military purchase at all. I think Morrison saw a fait accompli opportunity here since the Liberals also push nuclear power. Anything toxic it seems.
As Laura Tingle pointed out, genuine leaders set up a national debate first then try to convince the public of the merit of any decision. In stealth mode Morrison has tried to bi-pass this process and get Australians to overlook this highly important matter. The media is asleep as usual and they never criticise the US, even for its opportunism with the subs.
We ordered diesel powered subs, when the usual French subs were/are nuclear. They use lower grade fuel that would not cause anything like the pollution weapons grade fuel would cause in a war orientated catastrophic situation. Repeat the government chose non-nuclear. so that’s anon argument.
At the time the quieter diesel subs would have been better if drawn into conflict with China in the South China Sea for example, or in our local region. These things were considered and discussed. Maybe Turnbull did not want us to get so close to the US as well, instead of heading towards the 51st state. Who knows?
No doubt Turnbull is not Morrison’s friend, this mainly because Morrison stabbed him in the back too after promising allegiance to him less than 24 hours before he took over Turnbull’s job. Same behaviour as with Macron and Biden, and ultimately with China. Loyalty appears to mean nothing to Morrison.
Nothing of the current diplomatic disaster with France has anything to do Turnbull’s role in this story, it’s Morrison’s duplicitous behaviour, his lack of understanding of international diplomacy, and parochial shire-boy view of the world that is the problem here. Turnbull is just affirming what we already know. So is Biden affirming what we know about our prime minister and his game playing, and it is a disaster for Australia’s international reputation no matter how many jingoist-patriot stories News Corp and the others can cook up. Our sovereign risk is damaged, yet it was the very argument used not to reject people like Adani and his coal mine.
Dear WHYN again only half the story. I recall that Mr Abbott took the Prime Minister of Japan Mr Shinzo Abe to the Pilbara region of WA. At that time negotiations for DIESEL POWERED SUBMARINES were ongoing and it was clear that Japan was going to get the contract. Mr Abbott looses the leadership and after much tooing and froing Mr Turnbull announces France as the supplier.
At that time the defence department WANTED diesel subs. Both the Japanese and the Barracuda French subs were smaller than the American Seawolf / Virginia classes. The logic for this was the likelihood the main areas of patrol were in shallow SE Asian waters and they were less detectable and more manoeuvrable than the American subs. There was also the issue of crewing them, the navy always has had issues with being able crew the current fleet to the point that at least one sub has been tied up due to crew numbers .
The big killer at that time was and is today that Australia has no nuclear handling capability. Several experts in this area have said it will take 15 years to train enough people, even for the American modular system. It is allegedly a whole of life installation in the submarine but is high grade nuclear fissile material. The French nuclear Barracuda subs work on lower grade nuclear material. Several American subs with the modular system have had to have the reactors changed despite the whole of life system.
I also understand the heads of the Defence Department were blind-sided by the decision to change from diesel to nuclear.
I agree with you Whyn, that as a sovereign nation we have the right to break a contract if it is not in our best interests.
IT IS IN THE WAY THIS WAS DONE BY NOT HAVING A GROWN UP CONVERSATION WITH THE FRENCH INSTEAD OF A TEXT. If I was running the country then I would have flown to France and had a meeting face to face covid19 or not. After all Mr Morrison was Pfizered up when lots of others could not get anything (its not a race).
As for the garbage they could not tell them any earlier, as they may leak it. Before Australia signed the contract France shared a large amount of their secrets about the Barracudas and other arms issues which they have never ever done with any other country. I would not be surprised if the French think that the Americans may have been given access to this information.
Further why were the French not asked to quote on the nuclear Barracuda subs which are the mothers of the diesel ones.
As for your ill-informed sentence regarding what goodies Mr Costello got from Mr Turnbull. It is rather the case Morrison friends and hatchet men Mr Peter Costello and a Mr David Gazard were appointed by Mr Morrison and are on the French payroll for no net gain to Australia.
Personally I would not Mr Morrison in charge of kindergarten as he is likely to embezzle the kids out of their pocket money.
So many people here have said it well. Morrison trips people up, pushes them to the ground and robs them and when they argue back he says that they tripped and calls them liars. This kind of blatant thuggery may work well in the bush politics of Australia backed by the Murdoch press but not on the international stage. These people aren’t idiots and are light years ahead of our rough housing Idiot-In-Chief. This guy must go.
All Politicians are liars and crooks, nothing new here…just same old same old. The caravan rolls on,Politics in the West is as usual a crooked game.
Journalists are trained by the government to toe the line, and any journalist who reports sensitive information like the ASD’s spying on us or the Afghan Files can expect their Nazi goon squad to raid their home and office, and threaten them with legal action. This all happened when LibLab passed the Espionage and Foreign Interference Bill in 2017, and Albanese has the nerve to complain about the raids that took place 2 years ago? As for Morrison, there could be another leadership spill to remove him but … oh wait … he changed the rules so that he can make sure he stays in power. It is like a game to him.
It is worse than that. They are wary of saying too much as they might get taken off the PMO’s who to leak to list. I am ashamed of Phil Coorey for writing about the email leaked to him regarding the French Prime Minister’s text to Mr Morrison.
Further only a couple of journalists have made comment about the secret file from Mr Biden which also leaked. This will only continue to reinforce perceptions in American Government that the Australian Government can not be trusted to keep its mouth shut.
This borne out by the fact the our F35 fighters have second best weapons and counter measure systems while the Israeli’s have the full bottle systems.