Scott Morrison thanks volunteer firefighters for their ‘kindness and courage’ as PM delivers Christmas message alongside wife Jenny
- Australians urged to keep chins up and stand with families and communities
- Mr Morrison spoke of ‘the nation we’ve been blessed to live in’ during message
- Thanked firefighters, as well as the defence forces who are on duty overseas
Scott Morrison has urged Australians to keep their chins up and stand with their communities in his annual Christmas message after a year that saw floods, drought and bushfires ravage the country.
The prime minister spoke of the ‘Australian spirit’ along with the ‘kindness and courage’ of the nation as he stood alongside wife Jenny on Christmas Eve.
‘This spirit is what makes Australians the amazing country it is, and in this Christmas time we give thanks despite these terrible challenges for the wonderful country that we’ve been blessed to live in,’ he said.
‘We’re an amazing country, we’re an amazing people and 2020 is another year in which we demonstrate why this is the best country in the world.’
He described the floods in North Queensland, the crippling drought and the bushfire crisis as ‘great challenges’, which have been matched by the ‘tremendous spirit’ of Australians.
The prime minister paid tribute to those who would have an ’empty seat at their table’ this Christmas – including the two firefighters who lost their lives in the New South Wales bushfires, Geoffrey Keaton and Andrew O’Dwyer.
‘To Andrew and Geoffrey’s parents, we know this is going to be a tough Christmas for you, first one without both those two amazing men,’ he said.
‘They are a reminder of why this country is amazing and they are a reminder of what we’ve got to give thanks for, despite these many challenges.’
Prime Minister Scott Morrison paid tribute to slain fire-fighters Andrew O’Dwyer and Geoffrey Keaton (pictured left to right) in his annual Christmas message for 2019
The tone was dramatically different to Christmas in 2018 – when the PM shared his message to social media with the caption: ‘How good is Christmas’.
Back then, Mr Morrison spoke of hope and faith as a cinematic soundtrack played under his speech, before the parting words – ‘God bless’.
But this year the tone was sombre, there was no music, no mention of faith or hope and no ‘god-bless’.
Meanwhile Opposition leader Anthony Albanese sent his own message to the Australian public, a similar sentiment to that expressed by the prime minister.
‘In 2019, we think particularly of those people in the community who have been fighting bushfires. We think of those empty seats at tables where people have lost loved ones,’ he said.
‘This is the greatest country on earth. And the thing that makes it the greatest country on earth is our people.’
Federal Opposition leader Anthony Albanese, Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack and Prime Minister Scott Morrison celebrate the launch of the Christmas wishing tree at Parliament house in Canberra
But perhaps the most unusual seasonal greeting aired this Christmas Eve came from the former Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce.
The Member for New England posted a bizarre video to his Twitter account on Tuesday night, saying he was ‘sick of the government in his life’.
The video showed Mr Joyce feeding his cattle as he asked: ‘What is it politicians do on Christmas Eve in a drought?’
The 45 second video also referenced climate change, and alluded to a ‘higher authority beyond our comprehension’.
‘Now you don’t have to convince me the climate is not changing, it is changing,’ he said.
‘My problem has always been whether you believe new taxes are going to change it back.
‘I just don’t want the government anymore in my life, I am sick of the government being in my life.’