Throughout every scandal, questionable decision and humiliating moment, former Prime Minister Scott Morrison felt he had one supporter who stood by him – God.
Sometimes, God was the only one.
Next year, Australians will find out about God’s faithfulness to the nation’s disgraced leader in ScoMo’s new memoir, titled Plans For Your Good: A Prime Minister’s Testimony of God’s Faithfulness.
To use his words, it was a “miracle” Morrison was elected in the first place. Really, it was a “miracle” he wasn’t re-elected in 2022.
The book is set to be 288 pages about how his Christianity guided him in his leadership and how God stood by him through thick and thin.
Morrison and his book publisher Thomas Nelson, a branch of the Harper Collins Christian Publishing, said the book will come at a time “where cancel culture, identity politics and deep secularisation is taking hold across so many western societies.”
In other words, a time when Morrison is being held to account.
While I was hoping the announcement of Morrison speaking out about “God’s plan” was actually an announcement of a collaboration with Drake – something I’m sure we’d all love to see – by God, I am excited for this book.
There’s 246 days until publishing day (yes, I will be counting down the days). ScoMo’s book will be answering three big questions in life, and I for one am dying to hear the answers.
Question #1: ‘Who am I? Discovering your purpose.’
We already know Scott Morrison was Australia’s 30th Prime Minister. He was also Health Minister, and Finance Minister, Treasury and Home Affairs, Industry, Science and Resources…
But I digress. Who is the real Scott Morrison?
Morrison has been open about his faith and the role of religion in his life since his maiden speech to parliament in 2008, where he thanked the Hillsong pastor Brian Houston who “greatly assisted” him and helped him guide his faith.
His gratitude lasted until 2022, when Houston resigned after allegations of inappropriate behaviour towards women in the Hillsong church.
Nevertheless, Morrison remains to be a devout Christian, a member of the Pentecostal church. His faith in God is so strong, it actually outweighs the faith he has in himself as a politician.
I know, hard to believe.
“We trust in him. We don’t trust in governments. We don’t trust in United Nations, thank goodness,” he said to a congregation of the Victory Life Centre Pentecostal church in Perth in July 2022.
“As important as they might be – believe me, I’ve worked in it, and they are important – but as someone who has been in it, if you are putting your faith in those things like I put my faith in the lord, you are making a mistake.”
Don’t worry, Scott Morrison. I think our faith in you and your former government was long gone.
Question #2: ‘How should I live? Finding your pathway’
Scott Morrison was Australia’s Prime Minister from 2019-2022, what he declares as “the toughest period since the second world war.”
Which is true – we went through droughts, floods, bushfires, a pandemic, economic recession, women’s rights movements and more. In fact, we’re still experiencing the aftermath of it all.
ScoMo’s book pays homage to God and his “faithfulness throughout, win or lose, public criticism or public success.”
Well, at least God was there. Because Scomo wasn’t.
Where was Morrison in the deadly 2019 bushfires? On holidays in Hawaii.
Where was he when the nation was in lockdown during the COVID-19 pandemic? Using taxpayer dollars to travel 350km interstate for Father’s Day.
Where was he when thousands of women and allies stood in front of Parliament House, wishing to speak with their prime minister to address sexual harassment and sexual violence against women?
Sorry ladies, it was a very busy day in Canberra that day. Besides, they should be lucky “they weren’t being met with bullets” for protesting. Thank God.
From a glance at Morrison’s “pathway”, maybe the question to answer instead should be “How not to live”.
Question #3: ‘What should I hope for?’ Embracing your future’
If you look carefully enough in Parliament House, tucked away on the backbench is Scott Morrison, who still sits as the Member for Cook.
There’s no sign of him going anywhere, even after adverse findings against the former Prime Minister in the Robodebt Royal Commission.
Perhaps Morrison hopes for a political comeback for his future. Perhaps he hopes Australia will forgive and forget his scandals, his lapses in judgements, his poorly timed holidays and his outrageous, embarrassing responses to public scrutiny.
“Three years ago I stood before you and I said I believed in miracles. I still believe in miracles,” he declared in his concession speech at the 2022 federal election.
Somehow, I just don’t think this is a miracle that will come true, Scott. And you should probably start embracing your future.