Morrison, Hadley meet in radio clash of Biblical proportions

Shock jock Ray Hadley has demanded ‘Australia’s treasurer-in-waiting’ swear on a Bible that he had no part in the coup against former Prime Minister Tony Abbott.

Clearly enraged that the man he had backed for the Prime Ministership had just been consigned to the list of Australia’s shortest serving leaders, Mr Hadley unleashed on Social Services Minister Scott Morrison whom he accused of being a key player in Mr Abbott’s demise.

Mr Morrison dismissed the frantic Hadley’s demands that he swear to the truth of his statements while placing his hand on the holy book.

“Were you embarrassed by the role you had in his demise?” Mr Hadley demanded.

“Absolutely not, I had no role in his demise,” Mr Morrison insisted.

Mr Hadley was unconvinced; despite Mr Morrison’s repeated claims he had voted for Tony Abbott in Monday’s leadership ballot.

Still unswayed, Mr Hadley then demanded to know if Mr Morrison’s factional allies had turned on Mr Abbott.

“I told them I was voting for Tony Abbott, and I did,” the Minister said.

“There’s a Bible there, do you want to put your right hand on it and swear,” Mr Hadley continued.

I don’t have one here …. I don’t have to swear on a Bible, mate,” Mr Morrison said, adding "I didn’t mislead you on Monday, mate.”

The temper and tempo rose, and Mr Morrison inventoried the 2GB studio in Canberra. The debate over whether or not it was home to a Bible remained unsettled.

Mr Hadley moved on from the topic briefly, returning to Mr Morrison’s manoeuvres in the lead up to Monday’s Liberal leadership challenge.

Mr Hadley insisted that if Scott Morrison was promoted to Treasurer next week at the expense of Joe Hockey it would be proof of his disloyalty to Tony Abbott, and proof he had "misled" Ray Hadley in an interview before Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull's challenge.

“Someone close to the PM in the past 24 hours has said to me that Scott has badly blotted his copy book,” Mr Hadley said.

But as the to-ing and fro-ing over the specific movements and conversations of individual MPs abated, Mr Hadley returned to his demands for Scott Morrison to swear to the truth of his statements on a Bible.

This time, Mr Morrison became angry.

“If that’s what we need then we don’t have the relationship that you thought we had and that I thought we had.”

“If that’s the sort of thing that you want to do on your program then that’s up to you … if that’s what you want to do, bring [The Bible] in and we’ll get it over with.”

With that, Mr Hadley ended the 17 minute duel. The hard hat Mr Morrison carried into the encounter was never acknowledged.

Morning news break – September 18