23 August 2022
Australia’s Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has announced an independent inquiry into his predecessor Scott Morrison secretly appointing himself to multiple ministries during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Albanese announced the move on Tuesday after Solicitor General Stephen Donaghue concluded that while Morrison’s appointments were legal, they “fundamentally undermined” responsible government.
Morrison, who stepped down as leader of the Liberal Party after losing a general election in May, has faced a barrage of criticism from the Labor government and his own party after it was revealed he was secretly sworn in to ministries without telling Parliament or his cabinet, an unprecedented assumption of power.
In the written advice, the solicitor general was critical that the public and Parliament were not informed of Morrison’s appointment to the ministries.
This was “inconsistent with the conventions and practices that form an essential part of the system of responsible government prescribed by the … Constitution,” the advice said.
Three ministers were unaware Morrison shared power over their ministries of home affairs, treasury and finance until last week. Morrison said he only intervened in one ministry, resources, to block an offshore gas project. The decision is now being challenged in court by the resources company.
Albanese told reporters in Canberra that the advice from the solicitor general was a “very clear criticism” of the implications for Australia’s parliamentary democracy.
Albanese said his cabinet had agreed “there will be need for a further inquiry … to examine what happened and how it happened. It will also need to examine what the implications are for what occurred and whether there are any legal issues that are raised,” he said.
The inquiry will also “look at future reform, how we can ensure that this doesn’t happen in the future,” the prime minister said, adding that Morrison’s behaviour was “extraordinary”.
Source AlJazeera
