As much of Australia continues to deal with the devastation of catastrophic bushfires, Prime Minister Scott Morrison is enjoying a spot of backyard cricket – but it’s his remarks about the game that has really ruffled feathers.
At the annual reception for the Australian and New Zealand cricket sides at Kirribilli House yesterday, Morrison said the fires would happen “against the backdrop of this test match.”
“Whether they’re started by lightning storms or whatever the cause may be, our firefighters and all of those have come behind them to support them, whether they’re volunteering on the front line or behind the scenes in a great volunteer effort, it is something that will happen against the backdrop of this test match,” he said.
“But at the same time Australians will be gathered whether it’s at the SCG or around television sets all around the country and they’ll be inspired by the great feats of our cricketers from both sides of the Tasman and I think they’ll be encouraged by the spirit shown by Australians and the way that people have gone about remembering the terrible things that other Australians are dealing with at the moment.”
It’s safe to say Morrison’s comments didn’t go down well, with many claiming it’s not an appropriate time to be celebrating cricket in the midst of a bushfire crisis.
One user tweeted, “I love cricket, but this is close to insane. Trying to mesh some enjoyable sport with a national disaster is pretty much madness.”
Unfortunately, this isn’t the first time the PM has put his foot in it when it comes to cricket and the bushfires. Just a few months ago, Morrison landed himself in hot water when he tweeted, “Going to be a great summer of cricket, and for our firefighters and fire-impacted communities, I’m sure our boys will give them something to cheer for.”
On the NSW South Coast alone, over 380 homes have been lost to the flames and the overall death toll has risen to nine people. Considering this, and the backlash Morrison received for his November tweet, has he learned nothing?
It’s a particularly troubling time for all Australians and it has never been more important for communities to rally together and support the firefighters and volunteers who are risking their lives on a daily basis to ensure there are no more lives lost. Perhaps it’s something Scott Morrison can keep in mind the next time he wants to chat about cricket.