PM, media lashed: ‘Get off the grass!’
Hell hath no fury like a man whose freshly seeded lawn is being trampled on by a pack of people.
Members of the press learned that lesson this morning in the New South Wales town of Googong, about 25km east of Canberra, in the most hilarious way.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison was addressing journalists to outline the government's new HomeBuilder grant when a frustrated resident ventured out from his house.
"Can you guys get off the lawn please?" the man yelled, interrupting Mr Morrison mid-sentence.
"Hey guys, I've just reseeded that," he added, pointing to the grass that reporters, cameramen and photographers were crowded on.
Mr Morrison dutifully instructed the horde to move forward on to the road.
"Sorry, man," the resident offered.
"It's all good, thanks," Mr Morrison replied, giving him the thumbs up - a conciliatory gesture that the man returned.
Speaking later on 2GB Radio, the PM said "people are very house proud" and explained that "this bloke had just built his house and all the media was standing on part of his lawn".
"And so, he wasn't yelling at me but he came and said 'get off my lawn.' So I ushered them all off the lawned area and he was quite happy then, he said thanks and went back inside.
"So, it was quite funny actually."
After the brief interruption, the media conference continued, with the PM explaining details of the already controversial $25,000 payment designed to support the flailing construction sector during the coronavirus crisis.
Under the scheme, couples with a combined income of $200,000 can secure a $25,000 grant to build a new home or for major renovations but only if the contract is worth more than $150,000.
The government is forecasting a take-up of between 25,000 and 30,000 new home builds or significant renovations.
"In the short-term, we know that in the residential building construction industry that on the other side of September, the pipeline of works that they've been working on will really start to dry up quickly," Mr Morrison said.
"That means jobs, not just for tradies and apprentices but all the other homes that feed into that industry, and all the industries that depend on that, the retail jobs and the community more broadly.
"That's we thought it was important that mart of the many measures and supports we're putting into our economy at the moment, supporting our home building industry.
"And not just new homes but significant renovation of homes, knock downs and rebuilds."
For families dreaming of a new home, or of a significant renovation of their existing one, the stimulus will help make it a reality, Mr Morrison said.
Originally published as PM, media lashed: 'Get off the grass!'
