Scott Morrison was determined to focus on bricks and mortar during the crucial final days of his re-election campaign. But a brushfire debate about the prime minister's religious beliefs threatened to bring the house crashing down. It was another day, another construction site, when he strode into the backyard of another semi-built home. Mr Morrison was in the marginal Adelaide seat of Boothby to talk about helping young people into the property market. "What I'm focused on is the ground I'm standing on here," he declared on Tuesday morning. "And the ground I'm standing on is the ground of a first home that someone will own." Mr Morrison tried to deflect questions on a grocery list of grievances he would not be "distracted" by. There was his "clumsy" language on China and the media "beat up" that ensued. And then there were sniping comments from Paul Keating, and homophobic remarks by two Liberal candidates. "We're four days out from an election," the prime minister said. "What people are interested in is the home they are going to buy and the rent they're going to pay." Mr Morrison wanted to talk about plans to lower the deposits for first home buyers. But he was forced to fend off suggestions the $500 million policy looked like a last-minute "Hail Mary", announced just days before the national poll. "The timing of the announcements are designed simply to ensure that people understand the clear choice," the prime minister said. The half-billion dollar housing policy was not taken to cabinet, and the coalition government did not model its impact on property prices. But Mr Morrison said his scheme was months in the making, giving Bill Shorten a whack for supporting it sight-unseen. However, a counter-attack from the opposition leader got under the prime minister's skin. Debate around religion has crept into the campaign as Christian rugby international Israel Folau faces the sack for posting a biblical passage saying drunks, homosexuals, atheists and other sinners will go to hell unless they repent. The Pentecostal prime minister was asked by a journalist on Monday if he believed gay people would go to hell. "I support the law of the country," was his reply on Monday. Opposition Leader Bill Shorten brought the issue up again on Tuesday. "I don't need a law to tell me that. I just don't believe it," Mr Shorten told reporters in Tasmania. When the two leaders later traded locations on Tuesday afternoon, Mr Morrison said he did not believe gay people go to hell and said the issue had nothing to do with the election. "I'm not running for pope, I'm running for prime minister," Mr Morrison said. "These are religious issues and I don't want to see those controversial topics being brought into the political debate. I don't see how that helps anybody." Australian Associated Press
The prime minister kicked off another three-state blitz of marginal seats in South Australia.
Scott Morrison was determined to focus on bricks and mortar during the crucial final days of his re-election campaign.
But a brushfire debate about the prime minister's religious beliefs threatened to bring the house crashing down.
It was another day, another construction site, when he strode into the backyard of another semi-built home.
Mr Morrison was in the marginal Adelaide seat of Boothby to talk about helping young people into the property market.
"What I'm focused on is the ground I'm standing on here," he declared on Tuesday morning.
"And the ground I'm standing on is the ground of a first home that someone will own."
Mr Morrison tried to deflect questions on a grocery list of grievances he would not be "distracted" by.
There was his "clumsy" language on China and the media "beat up" that ensued.
And then there were sniping comments from Paul Keating, and homophobic remarks by two Liberal candidates.
"We're four days out from an election," the prime minister said.
"What people are interested in is the home they are going to buy and the rent they're going to pay."
Mr Morrison wanted to talk about plans to lower the deposits for first home buyers.
But he was forced to fend off suggestions the $500 million policy looked like a last-minute "Hail Mary", announced just days before the national poll.
"The timing of the announcements are designed simply to ensure that people understand the clear choice," the prime minister said.
The half-billion dollar housing policy was not taken to cabinet, and the coalition government did not model its impact on property prices.
But Mr Morrison said his scheme was months in the making, giving Bill Shorten a whack for supporting it sight-unseen.
However, a counter-attack from the opposition leader got under the prime minister's skin.
Debate around religion has crept into the campaign as Christian rugby international Israel Folau faces the sack for posting a biblical passage saying drunks, homosexuals, atheists and other sinners will go to hell unless they repent.
The Pentecostal prime minister was asked by a journalist on Monday if he believed gay people would go to hell.
"I support the law of the country," was his reply on Monday.
Opposition Leader Bill Shorten brought the issue up again on Tuesday.
"I don't need a law to tell me that. I just don't believe it," Mr Shorten told reporters in Tasmania.
When the two leaders later traded locations on Tuesday afternoon, Mr Morrison said he did not believe gay people go to hell and said the issue had nothing to do with the election.
"I'm not running for pope, I'm running for prime minister," Mr Morrison said.
"These are religious issues and I don't want to see those controversial topics being brought into the political debate. I don't see how that helps anybody."
