‘Richard Nixon would have approved’: global commentariat weighs in on Scott Morrison

Media outlets around the world respond to the ScoMo scandal, calling his behaviour a cautionary tale and poking fun at his multi-tasking.

(Image: Private Media)

Former prime minister Scott Morrison’s secret appointment of himself to five ministerial portfolios in the name of (but not limited to) the pandemic has not gone unnoticed beyond these shores. Global news publications have tapped into the politics of power centralisation, overreach and exploitation, heralding Morrison’s behaviour as a cautionary tale. 

The editorial board for The Financial Times added Morrison’s name to a list of global “greats”, stating that although “tame in comparison”, lessons “need to be learnt” from his actions.

The pandemic provided the perfect fig leaf for strongmen in more authoritarian systems to amass power. Hungary’s Viktor Orbán wasted no time during the pandemic to gain the right to rule by decree, with no time limit. China’s Xi Jinping has relentlessly tightened his grip after overseeing some of the strictest and widespread controls on movement the world has ever seen. Even established democracies have not been immune to power grabs over the past two years, most flagrantly that of Donald Trump. The Morrison affair may seem tame in comparison, but it is a reminder of the need for vigilance in shoring up the processes and institutions of democracies.

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