The Project's Waleed Aly defends ScoMo after controversial sermon

The Project host Waleed Aly has leapt to Scott Morrison’s defence, after the former prime minister was slammed for spreading ‘anti-government’ rhetoric.

Morrison made the controversial comments while giving a sermon at a Perth church on the weekend, saying, “We don’t trust in governments, we don’t trust in the United Nations — thank goodness.”

Following a huge backlash, current prime minister Anthony Albanese added fuel to the fire while talking to ABC radio on Thursday.

“I’ve spent two months trying to repair our international relations, and that sort of nonsense, throwaway conspiracy line about the United Nations, I think isn’t worthy of someone who led Australia,” he remarked.

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In a new twist, Aly defended Morrison, with the host believing that the media should be shouldering the blame for how the politician’s words were taken out of context.

“I reckon that is on the media, I think that’s our fault, I don’t think that’s his fault. He was giving a sermon in a church.

“I think so much of the media coverage, the response is misconceived. What’s he saying? He’s saying that institutions like the government and the UN, they’re fine, but they’re imperfect,” he stated.

Panellist Jessie Stephens disagreed with Waleed, and said that Morrison would be better suited as a ‘pastor, not a politician’.

“Trust in the government has never been lower, so to have someone who not long ago was an elected official and still is a backbencher, to make that kind of remark still, I think is unhelpful,” Jessie argued.

“I do think those comments were pretty controversial from someone who’s still a politician. And he might have been making a sermon, but not long ago, he was prime minister of our country,” she finished.

“All he’s saying is we don’t trust earthly institutions, human institutions, the way that we trust God,” Aly shot back.

“What’s controversial is the way that its been taken out of context, the context of a sermon, and placed in the context of a news cycle, and then turned into a comment about government like he’s whipping up some kind of anti-government movement,” he said.

Not everyone agreed with Aly, with many making their opinions heard on Twitter.

“You’re wrong Waleed, he’s a sitting MP and a former PM. Morrison should’ve just avoided the political swipes, because by mentioning government and the UN he made that sermon political,” an irate fan wrote.

“Can’t disagree more with Waleed on this one. This is an insight into the person and values that influenced the highest position in Australia. At best this doesn’t represent the majority of Australians, at worst it does serious harm to Australia at home and overseas,” another added.

“If he doesn’t have faith in government and he was the PM, how can he morally take a salary from a country he was/does represent? He scoffed at the UN, that wasn’t a ‘dad joke’. He’s making Australia look bad on a world stage just like Trump does for the USA,” a third chimed in.

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