But he allowed it,and Morrison chose to gild the lily.
“I can only speak to what I have said,as the Leader of the Opposition will know,because I texted him from the plane when I was going on that leave,and told him where I was going,and he was fully aware of where I was travelling with my family,” said the Prime Minister.
As he sat down,he and Albanese began furiously arguing across the table.
Albanese bided his time.
With question time over,and Morrison’s mood clearly descending to something analogous with a South Pacific thunderstorm,Albanese rose to make a personal explanation,and began by wielding a dagger.
“I kept that text message confidential,” he said of Morrison’s texted advice about going on leave,“As you do with private text messages between private phones.”
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No one could miss the unspoken jab. A private text message from French President Emmanuel Macron to Morrison’s phone wasfamously leaked only weeks ago after Macron accused Morrison of lying to him.
And then the flourish of the knife.
At no stage had the Prime Minister revealed where he was taking his holiday,said Albanese.
As much of the House of Representatives gave Mr Speaker a rousing farewell,the Prime Minister sat smouldering. He knew he was in a soup of his own making.
Shortly after,he stood and admitted he had embellished the truth.
“I want to confirm what the Leader of the Opposition said;that in that text I did not tell him the destination of where I was going on leave with my family,” he confessed.
“I simply communicated to him that I was taking leave. When I was referring to,‘He knew where I was going and was fully aware I was travelling with my family,’ what I meant was that we were going on leave together.
“I know I didn’t tell him where we were going because,Mr Speaker,that is a private matter where members take leave,and I know I didn’t tell him the destination – nor would I and nor would he expect me to have to have told him where he[sic] was going. I simply confirmed to him that I was taking leave with my family,and he was aware of that at that time. Thank you,Mr Speaker.”
How the Prime Minister must have wished himself somewhere far,far away. Just not,you’d imagine,in Hawaii.
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