Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says the government will investigate claims former prime minister Scott Morrison secretly gave himself powers to jointly run the health, finance and resources ministries during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Key points:
- Scott Morrison secretly took over several portfolios during the COVID-19 pandemic
- Cabinet ministers were kept in the dark about the takeover
- The Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet has referred the matter to the Attorney General
Albanese says the Prime Minister’s Department and Cabinet are seeking legal advice from the attorney general.
Governor General David Hurley confirmed that he secretly signed instruments to allow Mr. Morrison to administer other portfolios, “in accordance with section 64 of the constitution”.
The ABC understands that then health minister Greg Hunt accepted Mr Morrison’s joint position as a safeguard for incapacity from COVID-19, but that Matthias Cormann was not told that Mr Morrison s ‘had appointed joint finance minister.
Morrison used his tenure in the resources portfolio, then held by Keith Pitt, to block a controversial oil exploration license in December 2021.
Look back on the live blog
Catch up on key moments from today’s press conference with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese
Albanese said the revelations were “extraordinary”.
“The people of Australia were kept in the dark about what the ministerial agreements were, it’s completely unacceptable,” he said.
“This is very contrary to our Westminster system. It was cynical and it was strange that this happened.”
Albanese said it was a serious charge.
“Maybe that explains why we didn’t order enough vaccines. That is, the health minister might have thought the prime minister was ordering them because he was also the health minister, and he thought the health minister was ordering them.” he said
In a statement, Governor-General David Hurley said it was not unusual for ministers to be appointed to other departments, and that doing so did not require them to take an oath.
“The governor-general signs an administrative instrument on the advice of the prime minister,” he said.
“The decision to announce appointments to hold additional portfolios is a matter for the government of the day.”
Dutton says he did not know the Prime Minister had nominated himself
Opposition Leader Peter Dutton said he was not aware of the former prime minister’s decision to secretly give himself the power to jointly hold at least three ministries.
“I was not part of that decision-making process and those are decisions that are within the prime minister’s domain,” Dutton said.
“I know as much as you and I read it in the paper.”
The Liberal leader said the pandemic was an extraordinary time and would explain the reasoning behind Scott Morrison taking charge of health and finance.
But he said the post-resource portfolio empowerment was different.
Mr. Dutton said, as far as he knew, Mr. Morrison had not assumed the responsibilities of the Defense portfolio, which Mr. Dutton had at the time.
Dutton defended the role of Governor General David Hurley.
“The governor general issued a statement today and he is a person for whom I have the utmost respect,” he said.
“I have no doubt that he acted completely appropriately.”
National leader David Littleproud, who served as Agriculture Minister under Morrison, told ABC radio this morning that he was not aware the former prime minister had appointed himself to a number of posts.
“That’s pretty normal, as far as I’m concerned,” Littleproud said.
“If you have a cabinet government, trust your cabinet.”
David Littleproud says the former prime minister was wrong to swear to secrecy on several roles. (ABC News: Matt Roberts)
Littleproud said that, as far as he knew, the then Nationals leader Barnaby Joyce was also not informed of Mr. Morrison.
“These are Scott Morrison’s decisions. I don’t agree with them, and I’m prepared to say so openly and honestly,” he said.
Morrison also used his self-appointment in the resources portfolio to overrule the then minister for blocking an oil exploration license on the NSW Central Coast.
Nationals MP Keith Pitt told the ABC he “certainly made inquiries” when Morrison told him about the joint appointment, but ultimately accepted the decision.
“It certainly felt unusual, but as I said, I worked very closely with Scott during a very difficult period through COVID,” Pitt said.
“I’m not going to throw him under a bus, I just won’t.
“It was clearly something I was concerned about, as you would expect.”
Former Labor leader Bill Shorten, who lost the 2019 election to Morrison, said it was a strange decision by the former prime minister.
“To find out he was ghosting his own cabinet ministers, my God, he went on a trip,” Shorten said.
“Honestly, I’ve never heard of it, in the Second World War I don’t know that John Curtin was sworn in as Defense Minister… I don’t know what was going on. [Mr Morrison’s] none
“If he felt the need to do it, why doesn’t he tell people? Why be secretive?”
Albanese said he would not prejudge the attorney general’s findings on whether the former prime minister broke the law.
But he noted it was possible there were other secret appointments made by Mr Morrison.
The constitutional expert says that the self-determinations were inexplicable
Professor Anne Twomey, an expert in constitutional law, said it was “baffling” how Morrison could have taken joint control of several portfolios.
Professor Twomey said there were already provisions for other ministers to take over portfolios if a minister was incapacitated and so it seemed unnecessary.
“What the hell was going on, I don’t know, but the secrecy involved is strange,” Professor Twomey said.
“You just wonder what it is with these people that they have to do everything in secret.”
Scott Morrison has been contacted for comment.
Live updates
7 hours ago Monday, August 15, 2022 at 1:45am
By Shiloh Payne
That’s it for the press conference
To recap, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says he will seek legal advice from his department following revelations that Scott Morrison nominated himself to multiple portfolios.
Here’s what we know:
- Morrison was granted powers as Minister for Health, Finance and Resources at various times when he was Prime Minister.
- Some ministers knew this at the time, but others did not.
- Albanese has described the actions of the former prime minister as contempt for the democratic process.
- Albanese will be informed of the claims this afternoon.
The attorney general will also advise.
7 hours ago Monday, August 15, 2022 at 1:40am
By Shiloh Payne
PM describes Morrison’s actions as ‘disdain for democratic process’
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says Scott Morrison’s appointments as different ministers could have caused confusion in the government.
“Maybe that explains why we didn’t order enough vaccines,” he says.
“The health minister might have thought the prime minister was ordering them because he was also the health minister and he thought the health minister was ordering them.”
“What we do know is that this is a mess and it needs to be cleaned up and the Australian people deserve more than this contempt for democratic processes and our Westminster system of government, which is what we’ve seen ruined by the Morrison government.”
7 hours ago Monday, August 15, 2022 at 1:35am
By Shiloh Payne
key event
Will the attorney general look into this?
The Prime Minister asks questions.
Asked if the Attorney General will look into these claims about Scott Morrison, this is what he says:
“I have asked the secretary of the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet,” he says.
“We will seek advice from appropriate people, including the attorney general, on all of these issues.
I will have a full briefing this afternoon. This is dripping like a faucet that needs a washing machine fixed and what we need is to get the full flow of all the information out there and then we will make a decision on the way forward.
“But these circumstances should never have arisen.”
7 hours ago Mon August 15, 2022 at 1:33am
By Shiloh Payne
“Nothing about the last government was real, says the Prime Minister
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says there is an “absolute need” for clear transparency.
“This is not a local football club,” says Albanese.
“This is an Australian government where the people of Australia were kept in the dark as to what the ministerial agreements were.”
“It’s completely unacceptable.”
7 hours ago Monday, August 15, 2022 at 1:30am
By Shiloh Payne
PM: “Many questions arise” from Morrison’s portfolio claims
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese claims Scott Morrison took on additional portfolios as “extraordinary and unprecedented”.
He says he will have briefings on the situation when he returns to Canberra this afternoon.
“That raises a lot of questions,” he says.
“What did Peter Dutton and other continuing members of the now shadow ministry know about these circumstances?
“How can the Australian people be misled by what we now know that Scott Morrison was not only Prime Minister, he was Minister for Health, he was Minister for Industry and Science as well as Resources, he was Minister for Finance, and we had the extraordinary revelation that Mathias Cormann was apparently unaware that Scott Morrison was the Chancellor of the Exchequer like himself.”
7 hours ago Mon August 15, 2022 at 1:27am
By Shiloh Payne
key event
You can watch the press conference here
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is speaking in Melbourne.
You can see it here:
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7 hours agoMon August 15, 2022 at 01:14
By Shiloh Payne
Anthony Albanese is speaking in Melbourne
(Provided by: James Alcock)
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is speaking to the media in Melbourne.
He is expected to discuss the government’s plans to investigate claims former prime minister Scott Morrison was sworn to secrecy…