Mr. Morrison has been engulfed in controversy since news broke that he had installed himself across several ministries
- Australians are navigating the evolving political story in the vernacular of the internet: memes.
- Mr. Morrison has been engulfed in controversy since news broke that he had installed himself across several ministries
Scott Morrison has been engulfed in controversy since news broke on the weekend that he had secretly installed himself across several government ministries during his prime ministership.
Mr Morrison became joint minister
Mr Morrison broke his silence on Tuesday, telling Sydney radio station 2GB he took the measures as safeguards in response to the coronavirus pandemic. He admitted it was an error not to tell former finance minister Mattias Cormann he had secretly appointed himself to his portfolio.
On Tuesday, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese called the revelations "an extraordinary and unprecedented trashing of our democracy by the former Morrison government."
“This has been government by deception. Government in secret.”
But even as the story unfolds, and questions swirl around the legality of the decision, Australians are navigating the political chaos in another way: memes.
Scott Morrison: [insert job occupation here]
The obvious formula has been to plonk Mr Morrison in various jobs, with his adventures on the campaign trail making it an easy edit. Scott Morrison the hairdresser, Scott Morrison the tradie, and Scott Morrison the chef have all made an appearance.
Grace Tame, the 2021 Australian of the Year, who gave Mr Morrison the 'side-eye' during a meeting between the pair in January, said in a tweet: "You see now, we had to stop him from swearing himself in as Australian of the Year for 2022."
Ms Tame had been attending a morning tea hosted for the finalists of this year’s award at the prime minister's residence in Canberra.
Others leaned into another viral moment,
The multiple portfolios, at last, offered an explanation as to why he couldn't cook the chicken, some argued.
Even Mr Albanese, who is seeking legal advice about the decisions, calling them "unacceptable" and "just weird", found a minute to work up a joke during his press conference.
"Perhaps this explains why we didn't order enough vaccines," Mr Albanese told reporters on Monday.
"I mean, the Minister of Health might have thought the Prime Minister was ordering them because he was also the Minister for Health."
Others within politics also reacted to the news in the vernacular of the internet, with Greens Senator for Tasmania, Nick McKim making a TikTok video on Scott Morrison and his many hats.
In the video, Mr McKim as Mr Morrison arrives at a "Cabinet" meeting greeting himself, over and over.
Independent MP Monique Ryan, who unseated former Treasurer Josh Frydenberg in Kooyong, also joined in.
"Have checked all cupboards in Electorate Office for backup Members for Kooyong. All clear at this point," she said in tweet.
This Cabinet photo also earned a re-take.
Australian comedian Dan Ilic tweeted that he hoped the former prime minister wasn't in attendance at the upcoming jobs summit.
The jobs and skills summit, slated to take place over two days in September, will bring together members of government, unions, businesses and civil society.
Responding to a tweet from Ilic, one Twitter user said there could be some cost savings on snacks, though, because he was a four-in-one. The tweet was made before a fifth portfolio was confirmed to be held by Mr Morrison.
"You would save on muffins and coffee because he would be 4 of the board members," they said.
