The PM went on holiday for a few days. It didn’t need to look like a political crime scene. But as usual, the cover-up made everything 10 times worse

Throughout history, the world’s greatest minds have attempted to simplify Ockham’s razor.

William of Ockham’s principle was a fairly simple thing – “entities should not be multiplied unnecessarily”. Isaac Newton used it to apply to competing scientific theories. Robert Hanlon riffed off it to sum up political blunders: “never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity”. Which brings us to modern politics, where the simplest interpretation – “cock up over conspiracy” – reigns supreme.

Nixon wasn’t done in by the crime but the cover-up. And yet, decades on from Watergate, political leaders and those paid small fortunes to advise them continue to insist the simplest route is the one furthest from the actual answers or truth.

Scott Morrison taking a holiday is not remotely Watergate. But just five days on from his leave being made public, the prime minister, who prides himself on his marketing prowess and spin, was forced into the extraordinary position of releasing a statement expressing deep “regret” for “any offence caused to any of the many Australians affected by the terrible bushfires by my taking leave with family at this time”.

So how did a politician who rarely acknowledges a wrong step, even if faced with the debris, end up sort-of-almost apologising for taking a holiday to Hawaii with his family in a public statement?

Let’s look back.

Monday

Michael McCormack, the deputy prime minister, is appointed acting prime minister.

The Greens NSW MP David Shoebridge sets off a social media firestorm with this one tweet:

David Shoebridge (@ShoebridgeMLC) Where's the Prime Minister? We just confirmed with the Deputy PM's office that he's acting PM until at least Thursday. Have they noticed the country is on fire? We have heard rumours @ScottMorrisonMP is in Hawaii #ClimateEmergency

#Hawaii and #howgoodishawaii began trending on Twitter.

The Australian Financial Review publishes a small story, reporting the PM is on holiday with his family.

“The trip was not announced and Mr McCormack’s office referred questions to a spokesman for the Prime Minister.

“It is Mr Morrison’s first holiday since taking his family to Fiji after his May federal election win.”

Samantha Maiden from the New Daily reports the PMO will not confirm where the prime minister is, when he will return, and insists the matter is “not a story”.

But Mr Morrison’s office insists that claims he is holidaying in Hawaii are ‘wrong’ while refusing to disclose his location or for how long he is on leave.

The prime minister’s office will not confirm whether or not Morrison is in Hawaii. The lack of information or confirmation starts a story hunt.

Tuesday

#Wherethebloodyhellareyou and #wheresScotty trends on Twitter in relation to Morrison, including missing posters, as the PMO and McCormack, who holds a press conference, refuses to say where the prime minister is, or even if he is in the country.

McCormack says he will be acting prime minister, from his electorate of Riverina, until Thursday.

Wagga Wagga of course back in the early 1900s had its hand up to be the nation’s capital, well it’s taken a bit over a hundred years and it is finally the nation’s capital. But look, it’s great to be actually acting prime minister from my home town. I love Wagga Wagga, I was born here and only two federal members have ever served Wagga Wagga in the federal parliament from our city, born in our city.

The prime minister’s office said that Morrison was continuing to receive briefings on the NSW bushfires and the recovery efforts from White Island in New Zealand. It is understood he will resume normal duties on Thursday.

Network Ten reports Morrison criticised then Victorian police chief Christine Nixon for going to dinner during the midst of the Black Saturday bushfire crisis while appearing on Q&A in April 2010. Maiden published the story early the next day, quoting him as saying at the time:

She’s clearly made a bad judgment call. That happens to people from time to time, but this was a very serious issue. I think there are very serious concerns in the community about exercising judgment, and it’s incumbent on all of us in public life to make decisions following that in the best interests of the ongoing nature of the program.

The PMO continues to refuse to answer questions, telling reporters they are “wrong” that Morrison is on holiday in Hawaii.

10 News First Sydney (@10NewsFirstSyd) PM Scott Morrison is being criticised for quietly going on holiday while parts of the nation are experiencing extensive bushfires. | @vanOnselenP #auspol pic.twitter.com/wTIhy2dsxi

Wednesday

Australia experiences a new heat record, with temperatures reaching an average of 40.9C

Hawaiian shirts featuring Morrison’s face are created, with profits going to volunteer fire organisations.

𝕤𝕒𝕞𝕒𝕟𝕥𝕙𝕒 𝕞𝕒𝕚𝕕𝕖𝕟 (@samanthamaiden) Good morning. @ScottMorrisonMP Alleged Hawaiian holiday has now been immortalised in s limitrd range of shirts featuring a smirking Prime Minister nestled in a Hibiscus flower. Link to purchase shirt here 100 per cent proceeds to volunteer firefighters https://t.co/GPcDRTC4FN pic.twitter.com/fLaq24zbF3

Anthony Albanese addresses the controversy, by saying he will not address it:

I’m not going to be critical of Mr Morrison personally in terms of his circumstances of taking leave with his family. I’m not going to do that. That would be cheap politics and I’m not into that. I’m into the issues. And the issues that count are a national response. Doesn’t matter whether it’s Mr Morrison or Michael McCormack, we’re not seeing a proper response from this Government.

The prime minister’s office remains mum.

Maiden confirms from Sydney airport sources that Morrison and his family were seen checking into a Jetstar business class flight to Honolulu. She again reports his office as saying it was “wrong”.

Lara Worthington, who as a teenager was the face of the “Where the bloody hell are you” tourism campaign Morrison greenlit while part of Tourism Australia, weighs in.

Lara Worthington (@MsLWorthington) Scott Morrison : WHERE THE BLOODY HELL ARE YOU??? #AustraliaBurns #AustraliaFires

The PMO continues to not say, confirm or reveal anything, meaning the story kicks on for another day. The story morphs from #whereisScottMorrison to a comment on his leadership.

From Katharine Murphy:

The Morrison holiday has accumulated public outrage because it symbolises absence: a prime minister missing in action on important things. A prime minister too regularly substituting rhetoric for action. A prime minister apparently too pleased with himself to understand that people need more from government than they are getting.

Thursday

Almost every media outlet in the country is talking about Morrison’s absence.

Australia experiences its hottest day, with average temps of 41.9C, a full degree warmer than the heat record set the day before.

Thousands of people protest outside Kirribilli House. Further headlines are made when NSW police threaten to arrest a young girl, who was protesting with her father.

River McCrossen (@RivOMac) As police went about their move-on order at Kirribilly House, one girl was visibly frightened during police direction.



She and her father complied with the move-on order.#ClimateProtest pic.twitter.com/PJHHAs1B8n

McCormack wanders back into screen to tell the protesters they are wasting their time.

You are wasting your time. Go and do something productive. Go and donate your time to meals on wheels and something like that. The fact is, the PM is not there. He is having a well deserved holiday. Those people who are shouting and screaming … go and help someone out in need. Do a good turn rather than shouting and screaming and holding up placards that not always the words are spelt correctly on .... He’s entitled to a holiday. The PM takes a week off, he is entitled to that.

McCormack says there is no need for Morrison to return early.

The prime minister is very across this issue. He is getting daily briefings, if not hourly briefings, and he is very across it. We are in constant contact. I am the acting prime minister, I am here at the state control centre, I am here with RFS Commissioner Fitzsimmons.

Morrison is confirmed to be in Hawaii, after some excited Australian tourists post about having a “few bevvies” with the “bit of a legend” PM. They include a photo.

𝕤𝕒𝕞𝕒𝕟𝕥𝕙𝕒 𝕞𝕒𝕚𝕕𝕖𝕟 (@samanthamaiden) Aussie tourist claims ‘enjoyed bevies’ with @ScottMorrisonMP in Hawaii in photo on left with PM making Hawaiian ‘shaka’ hand signal for ‘hang loose’. 🤟 Same board shorts & glasses PM seen wearing in photograph on right just weeks ago in Australia https://t.co/MOTVFlAdr3 pic.twitter.com/7xNQqjsFB4

The PMO responds by saying the “wrong” statement they had issued to a journalist was not about the prime minister being in Hawaii, or overseas, but that he was due back on Thursday .

𝕤𝕒𝕞𝕒𝕟𝕥𝕙𝕒 𝕞𝕒𝕚𝕕𝕖𝕟 (@samanthamaiden) First story saying he was on leave was 6pm AFR. Later that night, I believe, we were first to report he claims he was in Hawaii and PMO said story was 'wrong' (they now suggest what was wrong was not that he was overseas, or on holiday, or in Hawaii, but was returning Thursday

Up to 40 homes are believed to be lost as fire continues to rage through Buxton, Balmoral, Bargo and surrounds, as the Green Wattle Creek blaze tore through the Wollondilly Shire on Thursday.

Late on Thursday, the worst news emerges – two volunteer firefighters have been killed, and another three injured, in a truck roll over near Buxton.

Friday

The nation wakes to the news of the volunteer fire fighter deaths. Geoffrey Keaton and Andrew O’Dwyer were both in their 30s and both had young children.

NSW RFS (@NSWRFS) The 2 firefighters killed in a vehicle accident last night are Deputy Captain Geoffrey Keaton 32yrs & Firefighter Andrew O’Dwyer 36yrs, both from Horsley Park Brigade. Our thoughts are with their family, friends & fellow brigade members. #nswrfs pic.twitter.com/p3Y8zX3hBj

Morrison announces he is “coming home early” but confusion continues over how early that is, given reports he was scheduled to return to work on Monday.

𝕤𝕒𝕞𝕒𝕟𝕥𝕙𝕒 𝕞𝕒𝕚𝕕𝕖𝕟 (@samanthamaiden) No, his office said yesterday Monday Dec 23

He releases a statement expressing regret but not apologising.

Amy Remeikis (@AmyRemeikis) Scott Morrison’s statement on his holiday #auspol pic.twitter.com/rN2bgOkoxz

Morrison phones into to Sydney radio 2GB to explain the holiday, confirm he was in Hawaii and why he, and his office, would not confirm any details:

Well, we don’t normally, John. I mean, I took leave in June as well and we did follow exactly the same practice. So I mean, we don’t always say where we’re going. My privacy with my family when we’re having leave, I’m sure people understand, that’s something that I know Australians would respect. But I think on this occasion, John, because there have been such horrendous events that have understandably caused a lot of anxiety, I deeply regret that and so does Jenny and to all those who were affected by the fires especially, we deeply regret it. And I’ll be getting back there as soon as I can. The girls and Jen will stay on and stay out the rest of the time we had booked here. But I know Australians understand this and they’ll be pleased I’m coming back I’m sure. They know that, you know, I don’t hold a hose, mate, and I don’t sit in a control room. That’s the brave people who do that are doing that job. But I know that Australians would want me back at this time out of these fatalities. So I’ll happily come back and do that.”

Morrison was still working on a flight home when he called to do the interview. Given his office told Maiden he would be returning to work on Monday, he’ll be back on deck about 48 hours earlier than scheduled.