Prime Minister Scott Morrison watched Prince Harry and Meghan interview, not Christian Porter investigation

Scott Morrison has revealed he watched Meghan and Harry’s interview with Oprah instead of a program airing rape allegations against a senior minister.

The Prime Minister and wife Jenny watched the two-hour broadcast on Monday night.

“Jenny and I watched the interview the other night, I’m sure many Australians did,” he told Seven on Thursday.

“We met them both when they were here in Australia and I’ve got to say, they were just lovely. This is obviously a traumatic time for them and their families and I just wish them the best.”

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At the same time as the tell-all interview, the ABC’s Four Corners examined historical rape allegations against Attorney-General Christian Porter, which he vigorously denies.

The prime minister’s office was contacted several times to confirm whether Mr Morrison has since watched Four Corners or been briefed on its contents.

His office has not yet responded.

The prime minister has previously been criticised for refusing to read a letter detailing the woman’s account of her experience.

Instead, he was briefed on the documents, which his office also sent to the Australian Federal Police.

Mr Morrison has also stared down calls for an independent inquiry into the woman’s allegations of rape.

He argues police examined the allegations and closed their investigation, and to launch a second inquiry would undermine the rule of law.

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The interview with Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, delivered a national average audience of more than 1.78 million viewers.

It was the most-watched program on Monday night, easily beating Nine’s Married at First Sight (1.07 million) and the Four Corners special, Bursting the Canberra Bubble.

The royal interview did not change Mr Morrison’s mind on Australia becoming a republic.

“We have got far more important things,” he said.

“My personal position is I have always supported the constitutional monarchy. But that is not going to change anything when it comes to coming out of the COVID recession or the COVID pandemic.”