Prime Minister Scott Morrison used his Mother’s Day party launch to gush over the sacrifices his mother made for he and his brother.
The tribute comes just days after Opposition Leader Bill Shorten was accused of hiding the truth about his own mother’s esteemed career to score political points ahead of the May 18 federal election.
Mr Morrison brought his mother up on stage during Sunday’s launch alongside his wife, Jenny, and daughters Abby and Lily.
He presented both women bouquets of flowers for Mother’s Day and thanked them for their constant love and support, before singling out his mother, Marion.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison gives flowers to his mother Marion Morrison before thanking her for the sacrifices she made during his childhood
Mr Morrison also paid tribute to his mum on Instagram, sharing a photo of the two during his childhood
‘Mum and dad both had to work hard to give Alan and I the choices they wanted for us in life,’ he said.
‘They saved. They planned. They sacrificed. And they also served.
‘Mum ran the local girls’ brigade at our local church every Thursday and Friday school nights for 45 years.
‘By the way, dad did the same thing… at boys’ brigade the same Thursday and Friday night for 45 years.’
Mr Shorten has been forced to defend his own mother in recent days after speaking about her plight as a young woman wanting to become a lawyer.
The Opposition Leader praised his beloved mother Ann, who died of breast cancer aged 79 five years ago, during the final minutes of the ABC show on Monday night.
Bill Shorten (left), pictured with his late mum Ann and twin brother Robert, came under a fire because he omitted one vital fact about his mother’s career as a teacher and lawyer
Federal Opposition Leader Bill Shorten (pictured right while national secretary of the Australian Workers Union) still regards his late mother Ann (left) as his biggest inspiration
He spoke about her dashed dreams to study law, instead becoming a teacher to help care for her siblings.
But he failed to mention that she progressed to the bar later in life, and went on to become a successful lawyer.
Mrs Shorten was able to send her sons to Melbourne’s exclusive Xavier College, which has annual fees in excess of $28,000.
But the Labor party leader insists he was not raised in a rich household, and relates to the everyday Australian.
‘My parents sent me to a rich school. But we were not rich,’ Mr Shorten said.
‘We were not poor. We were not rich. We were like hundreds of thousands of other families. My family spent all their spare cash educating Robert and I.’
Dr Ann Shorten (pictured) became a barrister later in life when she was in her late 50s
Bill Shorten hit back on Twitter after a newspaper pointed out that his mother did finally follow her dreams to become a lawyer later in life
During Mr Morrison’s own Mother’s Day speech, he also touched on his upbringing and schooling.
‘Life’s about what you contribute, not what you accumulate. That’s what mum and dad have taught me,’ the PM said.
‘It’s about serving others, because in life, it’s people that matter. My family story is not uncommon in our country.
‘We went to public schools, like Jenny and her older sister and her brother did.
‘Not long after I turned one mum went back to work, juggling all her commitments, with a lot of help from family, particularly our grandparents.’
Mr Morrison brought his mother up on stage during Sunday’s launch alongside his wife, Jenny, and daughters Abby and Lily
He presented both women bouquets of flowers for Mother’s Day and thanked them for their constant love and support, before singling out his mother, Marion
Mr Morrison’s parents were both active members of the Presbyterian Church, and his father also worked as a police officer for 16 years.
Mr Morrison and Mr Shorten are both in the final stages of campaigning ahead of Saturday’s election.
The Prime Minister promised to make it easier for first home buyers to enter the market through a new loan scheme, slashing the amount people have to save for a deposit, with the government underwriting the rest.
‘This will make a big difference,’ Mr Morrison told those present.
‘Cutting the time taken to save for a deposit at least half and more.’
The Coalition leader finished his speech by discussing Labor’s ‘reckless spending’ and future tax increases.
‘Australians know that the Liberals and Nationals can always be trusted to keep them safe and our borders secure,’ he said.