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Election 2022: Scott Morrison answers awkward question in Sunrise interview

Prime Minister Scott Morrison has revealed what he believes to be his “biggest weakness” as he started his election campaign with a grilling on popular breakfast television show Sunrise.

Hosts Monique Wright and David “Kochie” Koch rehashed several damning critiques of Mr Morrison’s leadership – including the belief that the PM is “untrustworthy” – before asking him what his greatest weakness is.

“I tend to go straight into problem-solving mode, and I think when I do that people sometimes don't think that I have really understood how they are feeling,” Mr Morrison said.

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“I assure them that I do… my father was a policeman and brother is a paramedic, when we see a problem we want to fix it.

“While people may criticise me for lacking a bit of that empathy on occasion, it is because I am really focused on trying to solve the problems that they are facing.”

A few minutes prior, Kochie asked the PM if he thought he was a “liability” in the campaign.

“Your reputation has been tarnished over the criticism you weren’t around for bushfires, that you mucked up the rat testing, the vaccine rollout – do you think that’s coming back to haunt you?” he asked.

Mr Morrison brushed off the criticism and said the election wasn’t about politicians, but should be focused on what is important to the viewers at home, like the cost of living.

“I go to the record, and the record is we saved tens of thousands of lives and 700,000 people in work,” he responded.

“We have retained our credit rating, we have one of the stronger economies of the advanced economies in the world, stronger than Germany and France and Japan and the United States and Canada, and we are setting ourselves up for a strong future with the economic plan.”

Anthony Albanese shuts down claims of strong economy

But while Mr Morrison claimed “the record” shows how the economy has thrived under his leadership, Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese said “the facts” prove otherwise.

Speaking to Sunrise immediately after the PM’s interview, Mr Albanese said it’s time for Mr Morrison’s government to move on.

“The fact is that this government have left Australians with $1 trillion of debt, they have doubled the debt before the pandemic, it had nothing to do the pandemic,” he said.

“This government has had 22 different energy policies and have not landed one of them, they are out of ideas, they are out of time, and the election comes, they should be out of government."

As for Mr Albanese’s biggest weakness? His loyalty, he says.

“I am very loyal to people and sometimes that makes me a bit predictable, and that sometimes can hurt politically. I make no apologies for that that is just who I am.”

On Sunday, Mr Morrison finally called the Federal Election, sending Australians to the polls on May 21.

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