Australia’s top lawyer in blistering removal of Scott Morrison over ‘minister for everything’ scandal as he hands over scathing report: Here’s what you need to know
Scott Morrison was sworn in at five ministries during Covid-19
Was treasurer and minister of the interior, resources, health and finance at the same time
Mr Albanian has demanded a public apology from Mr Morrison to the people
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Anthony Albanese has demanded an apology from Scott Morrison to the Australian people after he secretly swore himself into five ministerial portfolios.
A damning report from the Solicitor General on Tuesday said Mr Morrison’s moves were legal, but… ‘undermined’ the principle of responsible governance.
“Scott Morrison owes the Australian people an apology for undermining our parliamentary democratic system of government that we have, something that cannot be taken for granted,” Mr Albanese said.
Anthony Albanese (pictured today) has demanded Scott Morrison’s apologies to the Australian people after he secretly swore himself into five ministerial portfolios
Mr Morrison called the ministers whose duties he secretly shared to apologize directly to them, but Mr Albanese said that was not good enough.
“It’s one thing to see this as an issue between him and Josh Frydenberg or other individuals. Here he completely misses the point.
“This is about the Australian people,” he said.
The prime minister said he will call some sort of legal inquiry to find out “why and how” his processor made the secret arrangements.
Morrison secretly made himself Minister of Health, Finance, Resources, Home Affairs and Treasurer in 2020 and 2021.
He has insisted that he acted ‘in good faith’ and assumed the additional powers so that he could act quickly if a minister were to become incapacitated by Covid.
But his critics have accused him of having a power trip and defrauding the Australian public – as well as parliamentary colleagues.
While the opinion of Stephen Donaghue QC said Mr Morrison had been validly appointed as Resources Secretary in April 2021, the secrecy surrounding the appointment was unusual.
“Parliament, the public and the other ministers who subsequently co-governed with Mr Morrison (the Ministry) were not informed of Mr Morrison’s appointment, which was contrary to the conventions and practices which are an essential part of the system of responsible governance’, according to the advisory report. said.
Mr Morrison secretly made himself Minister of Health, Finance, Resources, Home Affairs and Treasurer in 2020 and 2021
“It is impossible for parliament and the public to hold ministers accountable for the proper administration of certain departments if the identities of the ministers appointed to manage those departments are not disclosed.”
The Solicitor General’s advice stated that the Governor General had no discretionary power to refuse the Prime Minister’s advice to appoint him as Minister.
The advisory also recommended changes, including adapting the format of published ministry lists to include all appointments and responsibilities.
The government could require, as an administrative practice, that each department’s website contains a list of all ministers appointed to run that department,” the advisory said.
“Further or alternatively, a practice could be adopted to publish all appointments made under Article 64 of the Constitution in the Official Gazette.”
Earlier on Tuesday, Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles said that regardless of the findings, Mr Morrison will face repercussions.
“There must be a political consequence for someone who has so completely ignored the Westminster cabinet system,” he told ABC News.
“It must be a serious consequence because what we saw was a total undermining.”
with MONKEY