
Last night, we watched as Prime Minister Scott Morrison sat down with journalist Leigh Sales on ABC's 7.30 Report, ahead of the next federal election.
During the interview, Morrison was asked about recent controversies that have been making headlines in the past few weeks, including his intervention in the NSW pre-selection and the criticism he's received from two female Liberal MPs.
Of course, there was also talk about the recently handed down federal budget and the government's plan for spending if they take win the election.
Watch: A snippet of Prime Minister Scott Morrison speaking to Leigh Sales on 7.30. Post continues below.
Here are four of the biggest moments you may have missed from last night's 7.30 interview.
1. Scott Morrison said he intervened in the NSW pre-selection to protect women in parliament.
During the interview, Morrison defended his decision to intervene in the NSW pre-selections, saying he wanted to protect female candidates in parliament whose positions were being threatened by faction groups.
The intervention in the pre-selections, carried out by the prime minister, NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet and former president of the federal Liberal Party Christine McDiven, enabled the re-endorsement of ministers Alex Hawke and Sussan Ley, along with backbencher Trent Zimmerman.
"I'm very serious about having great women in my ranks," he told Sales when asked about his decision to intervene.
"I'm asked all the time, 'Why won't the Prime Minister do more about getting good women in parliament and stand up for the women in parliament?' So I stood up for the women in my team."
Sales then pointed out "it wasn't just women", he was helping.
"That was what the principal reason was and people know that. There were other members who were able to be endorsed by that process," he replied, adding he will always stand up for people in his party and particularly people in his government when factions try to "take them out".
PM @ScottMorrisonMP claims he made the decision to intervene in some pre-selections in New South Wales because he is "very serious about having great women" in his ranks. #abc730 pic.twitter.com/aKxA8VOGGS
— abc730 (@abc730) April 5, 2022