London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Saturday, Jul 19, 2025

Australia: PM labeled ‘complete psycho’ by govt colleague – leaked texts

Australia: PM labeled ‘complete psycho’ by govt colleague – leaked texts

Australia's PM Scott Morrison appears to have been severely criticized in leaked messages between a fellow politician and a cabinet minister
Australian premier Scott Morrison came in for what appears to be very bad criticism from colleagues on Tuesday, when an allegedly explosive exchange of texts between former premier of New South Wales (NSW) Gladys Berejiklian and an unnamed cabinet minister was voiced to him by a famous reporter.

In the leaked dialogue, Morrison is referred-to as a “horrible, horrible person” who places politics above the people, and as a “complete psycho.”

Aired live on television, the alleged quotes were put to the prime minister at the National Press Club by political editor of Network Ten and The Australian columnist Peter van Onselen.

“I’ve got them right here. In one [Berejiklian] describes you as ‘a horrible, horrible person,’ going on to say she did not trust you and you’re more concerned with politics than people,” van Onselen said. “The [serving Liberal cabinet] minister is even more scathing, describing you as a ‘fraud’ and ‘a complete psycho’," he added, asking Morrison to comment.

Confronted, Morrison responded he didn’t know the issuer or the “basis” behind the alleged criticism, adding, “I obviously don’t agree with it, and I don’t think that is my record.”

Berejiklian, who recently stepped down from her role as NSW premier amid a corruption scandal, said in a statement she had “no recollection” of the messages and voiced support for the PM.

However, Network Ten revealed more leaked texts, in which Morrison’s handling of the national crisis during the so-called Black Summer bushfires is slammed, in an exchange apparently between the same parties. The PM, according to a ‘Berejiklian’ text, was “just obsessed with petty political point scoring” when “lives [were] at stake,” while her fellow minister is reported to have written “the mob have worked him out and think he’s a fraud.”

Morrison has been previously criticized over his handling of the bushfire crisis, and there have been tensions between him and the former NSW premier, in particular over management of the Covid-19 pandemic. Australia is expected to have a major federal election this spring, and national polls have shown the PM’s and his Liberal-Nationals coalition’s ratings falling to their lowest in years.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Brazil's Supreme Court Imposes Radical Restrictions on Former President Bolsonaro
Centrist Criticism of von der Leyen Resurfaces as she Survives EU Confidence Vote
Judge Criticizes DOJ Over Secrecy in Dropping Charges Against Gang Leader
Apple Closes $16.5 Billion Tax Dispute With Ireland
Von der Leyen Faces Setback Over €2 Trillion EU Budget Proposal
UK and Germany Collaborate on Global Military Equipment Sales
Trump Plans Over 10% Tariffs on African and Caribbean Nations
Flying Taxi CEO Reclaims Billionaire Status After Stock Surge
Epstein Files Deepen Republican Party Divide
Zuckerberg Faces $8 Billion Privacy Lawsuit From Meta Shareholders
FIFA Pressured to Rethink World Cup Calendar Due to Climate Change
SpaceX Nears $400 Billion Valuation With New Share Sale
Microsoft, US Lab to Use AI for Faster Nuclear Plant Licensing
Trump Walks Back Talk of Firing Fed Chair Jerome Powell
Zelensky Reshuffles Cabinet to Win Support at Home and in Washington
"Can You Hit Moscow?" Trump Asked Zelensky To Make Putin "Feel The Pain"
Irish Tech Worker Detained 100 days by US Authorities for Overstaying Visa
Dimon Warns on Fed Independence as Trump Administration Eyes Powell’s Succession
Church of England Removes 1991 Sexuality Guidelines from Clergy Selection
Superman Franchise Achieves Success with Latest Release
Hungary's Viktor Orban Rejects Agreements on Illegal Migration
Jeff Bezos Considers Purchasing Condé Nast as a Wedding Gift
Ghislaine Maxwell Says She’s Ready to Testify Before Congress on Epstein’s Criminal Empire
Bal des Pompiers: A Celebration of Community and Firefighter Culture in France
FBI Chief Kash Patel Denies Resignation Speculations Amid Epstein List Controversy
Air India Pilot’s Mental Health Records Under Scrutiny
Google Secures Windsurf AI Coding Team in $2.4 Billion Licence Deal
Jamie Dimon Warns Europe Is Losing Global Competitiveness and Flags Market Complacency
South African Police Minister Suspended Amid Organised Crime Allegations
Nvidia CEO Claims Chinese Military Reluctance to Use US AI Technology
Hong Kong Advances Digital Asset Strategy to Address Economic Challenges
Australia Rules Out Pre‑commitment of Troops, Reinforces Defence Posture Amid US‑China Tensions
Martha Wells Says Humanity Still Far from True Artificial Intelligence
Nvidia Becomes World’s First Four‑Trillion‑Dollar Company Amid AI Boom
U.S. Resumes Deportations to Third Countries After Supreme Court Ruling
Excavation Begins at Site of Mass Grave for Children at Former Irish Institution
Iranian President Reportedly Injured During Israeli Strike on Secret Facility
EU Delays Retaliatory Tariffs Amid New U.S. Threats on Imports
Trump Defends Attorney General Pam Bondi Amid Epstein Memo Backlash
Renault Shares Drop as CEO Luca de Meo Announces Departure Amid Reports of Move to Kering
Senior Aides for King Charles and Prince Harry Hold Secret Peace Summit
Anti‑Semitism ‘Normalised’ in Middle‑Class Britain, Says Commission Co‑Chair
King Charles Meets David Beckham at Chelsea Flower Show
If the Department is Really About Justice: Ghislaine Maxwell Should Be Freed Now
NYC Candidate Zohran Mamdani’s ‘Antifada’ Remarks Spark National Debate on Political Language and Economic Policy
President Trump Visits Flood-Ravaged Texas, Praises Community Strength and First Responders
From Mystery to Meltdown, Crisis Within the Trump Administration: Epstein Files Ignite A Deepening Rift at the Highest Levels of Government Reveals Chaos, Leaks, and Growing MAGA Backlash
Trump Slams Putin Over War Death Toll, Teases Major Russia Announcement
Reparations argument crushed
Rainmaker CEO Says Cloud Seeding Paused Before Deadly Texas Floods
×