14. On Liberty Scott Prasser- Trying Times, Federal Politics In An Age Of Political Outrage

Earlier this year, Prime Minister Scott Morrison was under fire for his handling of the bushfires, floods and sports funding scandals. Yet, on the eve of the federal Eden-Monaro by-election, he enjoys high approval ratings while the Coalition edges narrowly ahead in national approval. So the question is, how has the Morrison Government managed this pandemic-endued crisis and will it lead us back to prosperity? What lessons from history can we learn? Indeed, is Morrison the clever leader like Menzies who by his principles, political skills, and unrelenting effort, resisted some of the unwise popular orthodoxies of his time, promoted considerable change and founded modern Australia? Or is Morrison a sheep in sheep’s clothing, leading a government of least resistance to the incessant demands now being made on modern government every day?

Join us for Episode 14 of On Liberty this morning at 10 am AEST. Host Salvatore Babones will welcome Scott Prasser, author of forthcoming title Robert Menzies: Man or Myth (Connor Court). We'll take a look back in history to Australia’s longest-serving prime minister, Sir Robert Menzies, who led the party that he founded, the Liberal Party into Government, from 1949 to 1966 winning seven successful elections in a row.

Scott has worked in senior policy and advisory roles in state and federal government public service. From 2013 to 2019 he was Senior Adviser to three federal cabinet ministers covering portfolios of education and training, and regional health, sport and decentralisation and has published on the Howard Government, Liberal-National party politics and royal commissions.