Jake Hinrichsen

Scott John Morrison (/ˈmɒrɪsən/;[4] born 13 May 1968) is an Australian politician who is the 30th and current Prime Minister of Australia. He took office in August 2018 upon his election as leader of the Liberal Party and subsequently led the Coalition to victory at the 2019 election. Morrison was born in Sydney and studied economic geography at the University of New South Wales. He worked as director of the New Zealand Office of Tourism and Sport from 1998 to 2000 and was managing director of Tourism Australia from 2004 to 2006. Morrison also served as state director of the New South Wales Liberal Party from 2000 to 2004. He was first elected to the House of Representatives at the 2007 election for the Division of Cook in New South Wales, and was quickly appointed to the shadow cabinet. After the Coalition's victory at the 2013 election, Morrison was appointed Minister for Immigration and Border Protection in the Abbott Government, where he was responsible for implementing Operation Sovereign Borders.[5] In a reshuffle the following year, he became Minister for Social Services.[6] He was later promoted to the role of Treasurer in September 2015, after Malcolm Turnbull replaced Abbott as Prime Minister.[7] In August 2018, Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton unsuccessfully challenged Turnbull for the leadership of the Liberal Party. Leadership tension continued, and the party voted to hold a second leadership ballot on 24 August, with Turnbull choosing not to stand. In that ballot, Morrison was seen as a compromise candidate and defeated both Dutton and Foreign Minister Julie Bishop to become Leader of the Liberal Party. He was sworn in as Prime Minister by the Governor-General later that day.[8] Morrison went on to lead the Coalition to a surprise victory in the 2019 election.[9] He was criticised for his government's response to the 2019–20 bushfires and the 2021 Parliament rape allegations.[10][11] Morrison has however been praised for his government's handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, including the establishment of the National Cabinet.[12]