Scott John Morrison, often referred to by the nickname "ScoMo," became Prime Minister of Australia on 24 August 2018 after winning a Liberal Party leadership ballot that ousted Malcolm Turnbull. He led the Liberal-National Coalition to a surprise victory at the May 2019 federal election, defeating Labor's Bill Shorten in what Morrison described as a win for "quiet Australians."
Before becoming PM, Morrison served as Treasurer (2015–2018) under Turnbull and as Minister for Immigration and Border Protection (2013–2014) under Tony Abbott, where he oversaw Operation Sovereign Borders, the militarised maritime turn-back policy targeting asylum-seeker vessels. He represented the Sydney seat of Cook from 2007 until his resignation from parliament in early 2024.
His prime ministership was defined by several major events: the catastrophic 2019–2020 "Black Summer" bushfires, during which he was widely criticised for taking a family holiday to Hawaii; the COVID-19 pandemic response, including the creation of the National Cabinet; and the September 2021 announcement of the AUKUS security pact with the United States and United Kingdom, which included plans for Australia to acquire nuclear-powered submarines and led to the cancellation of a French conventional submarine contract with Naval Group.
Morrison lost the May 2022 federal election to Anthony Albanese's Labor Party. After leaving office, it emerged that he had secretly had himself appointed to administer five additional ministerial portfolios during the pandemic (including Health, Finance, Treasury, Home Affairs, and Resources) without public disclosure. A subsequent inquiry led by former High Court Justice Virginia Bell found the appointments were lawful but corrosive to responsible government, and Morrison was formally censured by the House of Representatives in November 2022 — the first such censure of a former prime minister in Australian history.
A Pentecostal Christian, Morrison frequently invoked his faith in public life. He announced his resignation from parliament in January 2024.
Example
In September 2021, Scott Morrison announced the AUKUS partnership alongside US President Joe Biden and UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson, reshaping Indo-Pacific security architecture.
Frequently asked questions
In November 2022 the House of Representatives censured him for secretly having himself sworn in to administer five additional ministries during 2020–2021 without informing the public, cabinet colleagues, or in most cases the ministers concerned.
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