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Politicians are supposed to kiss babies, not run over children. On the campaign trail, Prime Minister Scott Morrison collided with a young boy during a pleasant kickaround on Wednesday, eliciting a chorus of astonished “ooohs” and “aaaws” from onlookers. Morrison was spotted playing five-a-side soccer in northern Tasmania, where he is canvassing votes ahead of Saturday’s tense election.
Morrison, without his jacket but still wearing a shirt and tie, sauntered around the field aimlessly at first, trying to get a toe on the puck here and there as it ping-ponged from boy to boy.
But then the 54-year-old picked up a cross-field pass that attacked the opposition’s pop-up mini-goal.
Morrison, who had recently described himself as “a bit of a bulldozer,” lowered his head and torso like a seasoned sprinter about to burst out of the blocks and catapulted himself forward to intercept the pass.
Sadly, a small red-haired boy about two-thirds the size of Morrison was in the way.
Morrison’s left shoulder slammed into the child’s face, sending both tumbling to the artificial turf – in what one commentator referred to as “doing a BoJo,” an allusion to British Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s similar antics during a friendly rugby match.
Morrison, realising what he had done, threw his arms around the child and lifted him off the ground, as a coach dashed across the field for an impromptu Head Injury Evaluation and photographers switched to flash photography.
Morrison’s teammates continued to play, taking advantage of the man – and boy – down to tunnel the ball into the top right corner.
As the youngster dusted himself off and Morrison rose to his feet, the shocked interjections turned to muffled laughter.
“Red card and going to the tribunal on Saturday,” one Twitter user commented.
