Scott Morrison is blasted in legal report as Anthony Albanese demands apology

Anthony Albanese has demanded an apology from Scott Morrison to the Australian people after he secretly swore himself into five ministerial portfolios. 

A scathing report from the solicitor-general on Tuesday said that Mr Morrison’s moves were legal but ‘undermined’ the principle of responsible government.

‘Scott Morrison owes the Australian people an apology for undermining our Parliamentary democracy system of government that we have, something that can’t be taken for granted,’ Mr Albanese said.

Mr Morrison has called the ministers whose jobs he was secretly sharing to apologise to them directly – 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. He misses the point here completely.

‘This is about the Australian people,’ he said. 

Mr Morrison secretly made himself minister for health, finance, resources, home affairs and treasurer in 2020 and 2021. 

He has insisted that he acted ‘in good faith’ and took on the extra powers so he could act quickly if any minister was incapacitated by Covid.

But his critics have accused him of having a power trip and deceiving the Australian public – as well as parliamentary colleagues.

While the advice from Stephen Donaghue QC said Mr Morrison was validly appointed to the role of resources minister in April 2021, the secrecy surrounding the appointment was unusual.

‘The parliament, the public and the other ministers who thereafter administered (the ministry) concurrently with Mr Morrison were not informed of Mr Morrison’s appointment was inconsistent with the conventions and practices that form an essential part of the system of responsible government,’ the advice said.

‘It is impossible for parliament and the public to hold ministers accountable for the proper administration of particular departments if the identity of the ministers who have been appointed to administer those departments is not publicised.’

The solicitor-general’s advice said the governor-general had no discretion to refuse the prime minister’s advice to appoint him as minister.

The advice also recommended changes, including altering the form of published ministry lists to include all appointments and responsibilities.

‘The government could require, as an administrative practice, the website of each department to list all of the ministers who have been appointed to administer that department,’ the advice said.

‘Further or alternatively, a practice could be adopted of publishing in the gazette all appointments made under section 64 of the constitution.’

Earlier on Tuesday, Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles said regardless of the findings Mr Morrison should face repercussions.

‘There needs to be some political consequence for a person who has flouted the Westminster cabinet system so completely,’ he told ABC News.

‘It needs to be a severe consequence, because what we saw was a total undermining.’