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| Scott Morrison: Australia PM faces backlash over 'blessed' disability remark | Scott Morrison: Australia PM faces backlash over 'blessed' disability remark |
| (8 months later) | |
| Scott Morrison made the comments to an audience in Brisbane | Scott Morrison made the comments to an audience in Brisbane |
| Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison has been criticised for telling an audience he is "blessed" not to have children with disabilities. | Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison has been criticised for telling an audience he is "blessed" not to have children with disabilities. |
| Mr Morrison made the remark during a town hall debate ahead of Australia's election, after being asked a question by a woman with an autistic son. | Mr Morrison made the remark during a town hall debate ahead of Australia's election, after being asked a question by a woman with an autistic son. |
| Opposition MPs and others said the comment was upsetting, with one saying "every child is a blessing". | Opposition MPs and others said the comment was upsetting, with one saying "every child is a blessing". |
| Government MPs said the context of the comment had been lost in the backlash. | Government MPs said the context of the comment had been lost in the backlash. |
| During Mr Morrison's debate with Labor leader Anthony Albanese, the woman - identified as Catherine - asked about funding for a disability support scheme. | During Mr Morrison's debate with Labor leader Anthony Albanese, the woman - identified as Catherine - asked about funding for a disability support scheme. |
| "I've been told, to give my son the best future, I need to vote Labor. Can you please tell me what the future of the [National Disability Insurance Scheme] looks like under your government?" | "I've been told, to give my son the best future, I need to vote Labor. Can you please tell me what the future of the [National Disability Insurance Scheme] looks like under your government?" |
| The prime minister began by asking Catherine for her son's name. After she replied it was Ethan, Mr Morrison said: "Jenny and I have been blessed, we've got two children that don't - that haven't had to go through that." | The prime minister began by asking Catherine for her son's name. After she replied it was Ethan, Mr Morrison said: "Jenny and I have been blessed, we've got two children that don't - that haven't had to go through that." |
| "And so, for parents with children who are disabled, I can only try and understand your aspirations for those children." | "And so, for parents with children who are disabled, I can only try and understand your aspirations for those children." |
| He went on to discuss how the scheme helped people "live their best possible life" while adding it still had "faults" to address. | He went on to discuss how the scheme helped people "live their best possible life" while adding it still had "faults" to address. |
| But his use of "blessed" drew a backlash. Labor Senator Katy Gallagher, who has an autistic daughter, said it was "the kind of response they get all the time". | But his use of "blessed" drew a backlash. Labor Senator Katy Gallagher, who has an autistic daughter, said it was "the kind of response they get all the time". |
| She told Network Seven: "Certainly my daughter enriches my life and my partner's life every day." | She told Network Seven: "Certainly my daughter enriches my life and my partner's life every day." |
| Greens Senator Jordon Steele-John, who uses a wheelchair, said: "I am done with this government dismissing and disempowering disabled people." | Greens Senator Jordon Steele-John, who uses a wheelchair, said: "I am done with this government dismissing and disempowering disabled people." |
| Former Australian of the Year Grace Tame tweeted a photo of herself looking sideways at Mr Morrison, of whom she's a frequent critic. She wrote: "Autism blesses those of us who have it with the ability to spot fakes from a mile off." | Former Australian of the Year Grace Tame tweeted a photo of herself looking sideways at Mr Morrison, of whom she's a frequent critic. She wrote: "Autism blesses those of us who have it with the ability to spot fakes from a mile off." |
| Autism blesses those of us who have it with the ability to spot fakes from a mile off pic.twitter.com/Ck41YcqAAq | Autism blesses those of us who have it with the ability to spot fakes from a mile off pic.twitter.com/Ck41YcqAAq |
| On Thursday, Mr Morrison defended his words as being "in good faith". | On Thursday, Mr Morrison defended his words as being "in good faith". |
| "But I was just simply trying to say... I haven't walked in your shoes, Catherine. I'm not going to pretend to say that I understand it as well as you do." | "But I was just simply trying to say... I haven't walked in your shoes, Catherine. I'm not going to pretend to say that I understand it as well as you do." |
| Government Senator Hollie Hughes, whose has an autistic son, said people were "missing the point of the substantive issue here if they want to focus on one word". | Government Senator Hollie Hughes, whose has an autistic son, said people were "missing the point of the substantive issue here if they want to focus on one word". |
| "It's not looking at us as families or our children as a burden - it's a recognition that we do have additional challenges," she said. | "It's not looking at us as families or our children as a burden - it's a recognition that we do have additional challenges," she said. |
| "This is why the disability community struggles to make constructive gains. Because there's lying underneath it a significant, almost permanent rage machine," she added, speaking about the challenges faced by parents and carers to get support. | "This is why the disability community struggles to make constructive gains. Because there's lying underneath it a significant, almost permanent rage machine," she added, speaking about the challenges faced by parents and carers to get support. |
| Australia's election is on 21 May. Opinion polls were proven unreliable at the last election, but currently show the opposition is slightly favoured to win. | Australia's election is on 21 May. Opinion polls were proven unreliable at the last election, but currently show the opposition is slightly favoured to win. |
| More on Australia's election: | More on Australia's election: |
| Is Australian democracy in good health? | Is Australian democracy in good health? |
| China deal in Pacific stokes Australian fears | China deal in Pacific stokes Australian fears |
| This video can not be played | This video can not be played |
| To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. | To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. |
| Watch: Anger and trauma in Australia’s flood aftermath | Watch: Anger and trauma in Australia’s flood aftermath |
| Watch: Anger and trauma in Australia’s flood aftermath | Watch: Anger and trauma in Australia’s flood aftermath |
| Related Topics | |
| Brisbane | |
| Disability | |
| Queensland | |
| Australia election 2022 | |
| Scott Morrison | |
| Australia |