2 days Ago By Ellen Ransley
Multi-millionaire “teal” backer Simon Holmes a Court has copped criticism after he compared Scott Morrison’s popularity to that of child abuse offender Rolf Harris, with Liberals demanding he apologise to the former prime minister. The businessman and climate activist, who’s Climate 200 helped proper a number of independents from Liberal-strongholds into office at the 2019 and 2022 election, made the comparison in response to Mr Morrison’s photo of himself, his wife Jenny, US president-elect Donald Trump and his wife Melania captioned “HNY 2025 from Mar-a-Lago”. Mr Holmes a Court wrote that if Mr Morrison were to ever read the replies to the tweet, “it’ll be the second time he’ll have wished he could stay in the US and avoid coming back home” – an apparent reference to the former PM’s infamous Hawaii trip in 2019.
“(Mr) Morrison is almost as popular as Rolf Harris,” Mr Holmes a Court said. His comparison to the late Australian entertainer, a convicted child sex offender, attracted immediate ire. Deputy Liberal leader Sussan Ley said the post was “disgusting” and “juvenile” and said Mr Holmes a Court owed the former PM an apology.
“The tweet should have been deleted yesterday, and he should apologise to Scott Morrison,” she told The Nightly. “Scott Morrison deserves respect for his service to Australia, regardless of whether you agree with his politics or his record.” “How can any of the Teals claim they are about lifting the standard of politics if they take Simon Holmes a Court’s money? This is a test for all politicians who have taken money from him and everyone that works at Climate 200.
” Opposition home affairs spokesman James Paterson called on the teal MPs to explain whether they endorsed Mr Holmes a Court’s “unhinged” views. “Australia should be thanking Scott Morrison for keeping up the lines of communication with the next president of our most important ally, not vilifying him,” he told The Nightly. “It reflects on the Teals that their chief fundraiser thinks this is comparable to child sexual abuse.
“But it will harm our national interest if the Teals hold the balance of power after the next election and can influence the foreign policy of a weak Labor Government.” Mr Holmes a Court and several teal MPs were contacted for comment. The teal wave was one of the most defining features of the 2022 election, and Climate 200 is preparing to support an even larger swathe of candidates at this year’s poll.
The independent community candidates will, again, overwhelmingly target Liberal-held seats, as they seek to further capitalise on major party disenchantment and increase the size of the frontbench in what could push Labor into minority Government. The Coalition has in recent months ramped up its warning that if Labor was forced to rely on the support of teals or the Greens, that would weaken Australia. Katina Curtis Nicola Smith.
