Bull Allen

On heroes and traitors. A Scott Morrison Story.

Nov 07, 2022

History is important.

But it’s mostly forgotten, and that which is remembered is mostly rewritten.

The following is an interesting and important story, forming part of Australia’s GMC history, that I don’t want forgotten.

Scott Morrison failed Australia. A traitor he was and forever will be.

He led a party that stated the following values:

We believe in the inalienable rights and freedoms of all people: we work towards a lean government that minimises interference in our daily lives and maximises individual and private-sector initiative.

If those values were once believed, Scott Morrison led a group of men and women that trashed them.

The story below is self-explanatory.

I was there when Morrison, as treasurer, was gifted the Bull Allen statue.

I was there in 2017 when Morrison talked about Bull Allen to a crowd of 500. It was a subject and story very close to his heart. A friend, who made the gift, and I, said afterwards that he was likely to become Prime Minister, we were right. That he would likely make a good Prime Minister, we were wrong. When he was tested, his hollowness counted.

Without further ado, and with thanks to Keith Cullen.

The Hon. Scott Morrison, MP
Prime Minister of Australia

PO Box 6022
Parliament House
CANBERRA ACT 2600

Via email: [redacted]

17 August 2021

Dear Prime Minister

Urgent request for your immediate action please

Millions of Australians supported you and your colleagues at the last Federal election because we believe in the inalienable rights and freedoms of all peoples; and in a lean government that minimises interference in our daily lives; and maximises individual and private sector initiative.

We believe in those most basic freedoms of parliamentary democracy - the freedom of thought, worship, speech, and association. And we believe in a society in which the importance of the family and the rule of law and justice is maintained.

We believe in the encouragement and facilitation of wealth so that all may enjoy the highest possible standards of living, health, education, and social justice. And we believe that businesses and individuals - not government - are the true creators of wealth and employment.

In short, we simply believe in individual freedom and free enterprise.

I write this letter in a personal capacity, but I know that I speak for millions of Australians, from all walks of life and of all political persuasions, that are appalled that these key principles of a functioning society and of Australian democracy have been betrayed these past 18 months or so.

That so much could be stolen from the people of this land, and in particular our children, is shameless. The destruction of education, of freedom of movement and association, the destruction of people’s businesses, of their life savings, and very sense of self-worth - is abhorrent.

It is morally corrupt to steal so much from so many, for the benefit of so few, for a little (perceived) safety - and worse still for personal political or financial gain. To frighten them - wilfully, maliciously, and deliberately - for your own purpose, is nothing short of evil.

Accordingly, I denounce that betrayal and draw your attention to my pictorial story - and my request - contained in the following pages. Your immediate attention to my request is appreciated and I ask that you use the above address to fulfil that request.

To suggest it pains me to make this request would be an understatement.

Keith Cullen

PS - Should you or your office wish to confirm any details to enable my request to be completed in a timely fashion I may be contacted via the email and phone contacts above.

A well-chosen, and well-appreciated gift

Remember this day. That’s me, presenting you (as Treasurer) with a statue of Bull Allen in June 2017 as thanks for you delivering the keynote address at a conference I had organised. Aware of your keen interest in military history (and statues) - and blessed with a talented friend of 30 years who is the sculptor - the statue seemed an ideal choice.

The hundreds of people assembled for the conference were delighted at the appreciation you showed – as was Ben Fordham who was MC’ing the event for us – and we were all further impressed with your knowledge of Bull Allen and his heroic and selfless feats.

It seems to have gone “straight to the pool room”

At a meeting in his Canberra office in December 2018, then NDIS Minister, Stuart Robert, excused himself after some time as he had to leave for a meeting in your office (you were PM now). As he stood to leave, I suggested he mention that he had just been meeting with “the bloke who gave [you] the Bull Allen statue”.

Minister Robert was impressed and remarked how the Bull Allen statue had taken pride of place in your office.

And so, I see that it did.

Well, I am glad you really did like it

Imagine my delight at how much you have clearly admired and appreciated the gift to learn that - of all the things you could have chosen - your regard for Bull Allen (and for my friend’s work) were such that you chose the exact gift that I had given you to present to President Trump when he and the First Lady hosted you and your wife at a State Dinner at the Whitehouse in September 2019.

I must admit that the thought you had “regifted” Bull did cross my mind - until I rang my friend and he confirmed that (on a hush-hush basis) DFAT had requested he supply one with a custom base. The first he knew of its purpose was when his family rang to tell him they had just seen a report on the dinner and your gift on Sky News.

Not sure what came of this – but a nice thought

At that same State Dinner at the Whitehouse, you asked if President Trump would permit Australia, as our gift, to erect a life-size memorial of [the statue] in Washington as a constant reminder of our dedication to our American friends and the bonds we have formed. I remain unaware of whether that offer has been accepted. But nonetheless, I was again delighted that my gift had made such an impact.

In your opening words of the address during which you made this request, you mentioned your admiration of Theodore Roosevelt, the author and orator of one of the greatest civic speeches of all time – The Duties of American Citizenship.

If you know and admire that piece of genius as much and as well as I do, perhaps you will recall:

It is the duty of all citizens, irrespective of party, to denounce, and, so far as may be, to punish crimes against the public on the part of politicians or officials.

A small punishment this may be – but this, for me, is a good place to start:

I want my statue back!

Through your evil malevolence, and your abandonment of your people, your leadership responsibilities, and the principles that Menzies founded your party on - that you and too many of your federal and state colleagues have betrayed –

You are neither a worthy recipient nor qualified custodian.

Scott Morrison, after four months, but while Prime Minister, returned Bull Allen.