Former Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison has announced he will resign from parliament, bringing an end to a 17-year political career marked by pragmatism, conservatism, and numerous controversies. Morrison served as the country's leader from 2018 to 2022, famously winning an unexpected election victory in 2019 that he called 'a miracle'.
Support for his Liberal-National government collapsed during the pandemic, with criticism mounting over his policies on climate change and women's issues. His personal unpopularity dominated the 2022 election campaign, which was won by Labor's Anthony Albanese. Morrison retained his seat but stepped down as Liberal party leader.
In an extraordinary scandal, it was later revealed that Morrison had secretly appointed himself to additional ministries while prime minister, leading to a parliamentary censure—a first for a former prime minister. Despite this, Morrison built a reputation as a survivor and shrewd political tactician before reaching the top job.
The 53-year-old, known as 'ScoMo', was a leading religious conservative and family man. He rose to prominence as immigration minister under Tony Abbott, vigorously enforcing Australia's controversial asylum seeker policies. He later held portfolios in social security and treasury, where he was praised for his competence.
Morrison's tenure included the Aukus defence pact with the US and UK, which caused a diplomatic rift with France after he cancelled a submarine deal. He also faced internal party criticism, with senator Concetta Fierravanti-Wells accusing him of being 'an autocrat' and 'a bully with no moral compass'.
