Morrison calls media claims of Turnbull offering him treasurer’s position a ‘tinfoil hat conspiracy’

Former Social Services Minister Scott Morrison denied being offered his current position of treasurer in February when Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull challenged Tony Abbott’s leadership for the first time.

“I won’t participate in the tinfoil hat media conspiracies that are being peddled,” he addressed a press conference on Monday morning. “This situation in February was vastly different to the situation in August. I was promised an 11 p.m. bedtime, or any later bedtime for that matter.”

On Sunday, the Coalition was rocked with controversy when Fairfax Media reported that Turnbull offered Morrison his current position as treasurer in February, long before Turnbull successfully challenged Abbott’s leadership in September. While the current prime minister called Morrison, Foreign Minister Julie Bishop listened in to the conversation. She was deputy to Abbott and remained so to Turnbull as well.

Morrison admitted on Sky News on Sunday night that it was true the conversation took place, but there was no such deal promised. “I do recollect talking to Malcolm Turnbull,” he said. Turnbull was his cabinet colleague at that time and it was very normal of colleagues talking to each other.

“What happened in February and what happened later in the year were completely different issues and you should shake it off,” the treasurer told reporters. Morrison continued it was “a conversation of no consequence, of no arrangement, and no conclusion. That’s it.”

Labor Senator Sam Dastyari also blamed Morrison of being involved in the dethroning of Abbott as PM. “You don’t get involved in those sorts of telephone conversations and not know what they mean,” he was quoted by the ABC as saying.. “This is an extra ordinary phone call. ... What you have here is premeditated, planned and Scott Morrison has consistently lied about the issue.”

Abbott supporters, including Kevin Andrews and Eric Abetz, also criticised the treasurer after the leadership spill in September for not taking side with the former prime minister.

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