Australian Politician Plays ‘Taylor Swift Bingo’ in Retirement Speech at His Daughters’ Request
Scott Morrison and Taylor Swift
Australia’s former prime minister played a unique game of “Taylor Swift Bingo” at the request of his two daughters while delivering a retirement speech earlier this week.
Scott Morrison, who served as Australia’s 30th prime minister from 2018 to 2022, most recently served as a member of parliament for New South Wales. Morrison announced his decision to retire last month and has now made that move official.
While much of Morrison’s retirement speech focused on his appreciation for his community, he took a brief detour to thank his family and announce that he was taking up his daughters’ challenge to include as many references to Swift’s albums as he could in his speech.
Morrison began by noting that, in keeping with a popular theme among Swift’s Eras Tour concertgoers, he was wearing a friendship bracelet following her recent tour stop in Sydney. His bracelet spelled out “ScoMo,” a detail that amused his audience.
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He drew another laugh when he informed the crowd that he was accepting his daughters’ challenge.
“Well, what’s a dad to do?” he asked before diving in.
In the section of Morrison’s speech that followed, he name-checked nine of Swift’s original studio albums and a few of her hit songs. He missed her 2006 album, Taylor Swift—though he did mention her name while explaining the reason behind his “bingo” game—as well as 2020’s Evermore. Though he didn’t specifically shout out any of her re-recorded albums, he did include The Tortured Poets Department, Swift’s forthcoming 11th studio album.
“It is true that my political opponents have often made me see Red, often when subjected to the Tortured Poets who would rise to attack my Reputation,” Morrison began, pausing before each album title drop to draw attention to its inclusion. "In response, I always thought it important to be Fearless and Speak Now or forever hold my silence and allow those attacks to become Folklore.
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“Ever since leaving university in 1989, this has always been my approach,” he continued. "My great consolation has always been my Lover, Jen, who has always been there for me whenever I needed her from dawn, and beyond the many Midnights, we have shared together. See, I’m actually a true ‘New Romantics,’ after all, and I can assure you there is no ‘Bad Blood,’ as I’ve always been someone who’s been able to ‘Shake It Off.’”
Morrison appeared amused by the challenge throughout his delivery, which was sprinkled with chuckles from his audience.
“Anything for my daughters,” he said.
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