Australia’s Former Prime Minister, Scott Morrison, has announced his decision to leave politics and enter the private sector. Morrison, a conservative leader, served as prime minister from 2018 to 2022. During his tenure, he faced challenges such as overseeing Australia’s response to the pandemic, negotiating the Aukus defense pact, and being involved in a historic scandal of secretly appointing himself to multiple ministerial positions while in power. Morrison, who is known for his strong Christian faith, expressed his desire to become more active in his church and spend time with his family. His retirement was widely anticipated following a significant election defeat in 2022, which resulted in the Liberal-National coalition having its lowest number of seats ever.
One of the major factors contributing to Morrison’s government’s downfall was Australia’s reputation as a climate laggard. Voters favored candidates who pledged more ambitious emissions cuts. While his initial response to the COVID-19 pandemic, including border closures and lockdown measures, helped contain early outbreaks, a delayed vaccine rollout received criticism. Throughout his time in office, Morrison faced challenges in his relationship with China, Australia’s largest trading partner, due to his government’s calls for an international investigation into the origins of COVID-19.
Despite the difficulties, Morrison shifted his focus toward strengthening regional security alliances, such as the Quad partnership with India, Japan, and the US, and signing the Aukus nuclear submarine deal with the UK and US. However, his public support began to diminish after he faced severe backlash for taking a holiday in Hawaii during the devastating 2019-2020 bushfires and for his initial tepid response to numerous sexual misconduct allegations that shook the parliament. Following his election defeat in 2022, Morrison returned to the opposition backbench.
Throughout his political career, Morrison held various ministerial positions, including immigration minister, social services minister, and treasurer. His victory in the 2019 federal election, where he defied polls and positioned himself as an everyday family man, cemented his role as prime minister and made him the first to serve a full term since John Howard in 2007.
Now, at 55 years old, Morrison looks ahead to his transition to the private sector. He plans to take on strategic advisory roles focusing on security matters in the Indo-Pacific region. While his departure from politics signifies the end of an era, the impact of his policies and controversies will continue to shape Australia’s future.
As Scott Morrison bids farewell to his political career, the nation awaits the next phase of Australian leadership and the ongoing challenges and opportunities that lie ahead.
