Scott Morrison's major call on Liberal Party leadership: ' Not contemplating'
Prime Minister Scott Morrison has revealed he is not considering stepping down should the Coalition lose the election this weekend.
Speaking to Leigh Sales on ABC's 7.30 on Monday night, the veteran host probed the leader of the Liberal party, asking if he intends to step down, if he was not re-elected.
Mr Morrison said he does not "speculate on things like that", though Ms Sales pressed him, saying the election was just days away so the thought must have crossed his mind.
"The only person who has announced their retirement is you Leigh, and I wish you very well. I commend you on the great job you have done for a long time," he said while the two laughed.
Earlier this year, Ms Sales announced she would be stepping down from her role as the host of the program.
Morrison stepping down if defeated 'not a given'
Ms Sales then asked him again if the Australian public could take it as a "given" he would step aside if he loses the election, this time the prime minister said "no".
"No, that is not something I'm contemplating because I'm not contemplating on that being the scenario," Mr Morrison said.
He insisted the one thing he is focused on now is "ensuring that our government continues", again pointing to the Coalition's economic plan and how he has stabilised the nation's economy through the pandemic.
Mr Morrison then acknowledged he would need to win the majority of seats if he wanted his government to remain in power, to which Ms Sales posed another hypothetical, which might happen.
"What that might involve in the eventuality of a hung parliament is negotiating with independents and minor parties," she said.
"Would you be prepared to stand aside to give a new leader a fresh slate and chance to negotiate with those people to keep the coalition in government?"
Once again, Mr Morrison remained defiant and refused to speculate on such scenarios.
"Because my scenario, the scenario that my team is working for, is not to have a weakened parliament, to not to have a government that has to negotiate for its existence every day," he said.
"If I had to do that Leigh, over the last three years Australia would not be in the stronger position we are today. We'd be in a weaker position people would be worse off and I want to avoid that."
When asked who he would blame if he lost the election, Mr Morrison said he would accept the result as he trusts Australians.
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