Scott Morrison's determination to dig in following last week's damning robodebt royal commission findings can only damage the Liberal Party even further and make him look ridiculous.
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While the LNP more generally has shown almost no remorse over this shocking episode, at least Peter Dutton belatedly apologised to the victims over the weekend.
Although, for many, this was far too little and far too late, it is something Mr Morrison, the Coalition figure most closely associated with robodebt over the entire course of its existence, won't do.
His expression of "regret" over the "unintended consequences" of the tragically flawed scheme is the latest exhibition of the same hubris and arrogance at the heart of the multiple ministries imbroglio that soured his relations with many colleagues.
The former PM, who is taking advantage of the winter recess to holiday in Europe, has a Trumpian ability to turn a blind eye to the bleeding obvious that would be regarded as self-delusional in a lesser mortal.
He is refusing to take any responsibility for robodebt, despite introducing it while social services minister, presiding over it as Treasurer and allowing it to continue long after its illegality was widely known as PM.
To add insult to injury he has had the gall to say commissioner Catherine Holmes SC got it wrong and does not understand "the processes of government".
![The former PM Scott Morrison is taking advantage of the winter recess to holiday in Europe. Picture by Eve Woodhouse The former PM Scott Morrison is taking advantage of the winter recess to holiday in Europe. Picture by Eve Woodhouse](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/XBxJDq6WLub2UphQ8wEq23/584a1b3f-6c02-43db-b2e9-d4f9b99f4ca9.JPG/r0_584_5715_3810_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Commissioner Holmes, who has waded through reams of document and listened to countless hours of testimony, would now have a better understanding of the "processes of government" than should be inflicted on any one individual.
The person who does not have an understanding of the "processes of government" is Mr Morrison. That was made apparent by the "multiple ministries" debacle.
That said, he is not alone in his ignorance of the standards of conduct by politicians and public servants the Australian people have a right to expect.
Alan Tudge, Christian Porter and Stuart Robert share the same failing. The then secretary of the Department of Human Services, Kathryn Campbell, has also fallen well short of the mark.
One thing that has become very clear is that Mr Morrison, once the darling of the LNP after the 2019 election miracle and riding high in the polls in the first years of COVID-19, has few - if any - friends left in Parliament.
When David Littleproud was asked if it was time for Mr Morrison to go on Monday he prefaced his response by saying he did not have a "personal relationship" with the former PM.
He went on to say if Mr Morrison's heart was no longer in representing the people of Cook "he should get out of the road because the people of Cook deserve someone who has fire in the belly".
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This sentiment was echoed by both friends and foes. Even Labor heavyweight Graham Richardson, who does admit to being a friend of Mr Morrison's since before he entered politics, says it's time.
The former senator and ALP numbers man said "there does come a time you can say you've made your contribution and it is time to move on ... I think he's at that point".
That is a fair assessment. Mr Morrison's achievements include delivering the Coalition a famous victory in 2019, being widely praised for his government's performance during the early years of COVID-19 and delivering AUKUS and the submarine deal.
The longer he stays on in the Parliament as the member for Cook the more certain it is that these achievements will forever be overshadowed by the scandals he has become so famous for.
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