Australia may launch inquiry into Scott Morrison holding secret cabinet roles

Former PM has said his actions were critical to ‘ensuring continuity and effective operation of government during crisis period’

Australia’s prime minister Anthony Albanese has said the government could launch an inquiry into his predecessor Scott Morrison being secretly sworn in to key ministries during Covid.

Earlier this week, Mr Albanese accused Mr Morrison of governing “in the shadows” following reports that he had appointed himself to the five key ministerial portfolios, including home affairs, treasury, health, finance, and industry, science, energy and resources, during the Covid pandemic.

The Australian PM also said he had sought legal advice from the solicitor general on the legality of Mr Morrison’s actions. On Sunday, Mr Albanese said the government would receive this advice from the country’s second-highest law officer on Monday.

He also indicated that the government would consider holding an inquiry and putting in place reforms to ensure that Mr Morrison’s actions are not repeated.

“We’ll examine all of those issues after we receive the solicitor general’s advice. I am running a proper cabinet government that has proper processes, and we’ll give full consideration to it,” Mr Albanese told Sky News.

He added that while the solicitor general would advise on legal issues, there were also broader issues “about the functioning of our democracy” that needed to be investigated.

On 15 August, governor general David Hurley, the Queen’s representative in Australia, confirmed that he had allowed Mr Morrison to take responsibility in secret for the offices in question, and that he had authorised this through an “administrative instrument”.

The action, which represented an unprecedented assumption of powers, has drawn criticism from Australia’s Labor government and Mr Morrison’s own party.

In a lengthy statement posted to Mr Morrison’s Facebook page on 16 August, the former prime minister defended his actions, saying they were critical to “ensuring the continuity and effective operation of government during this crisis period, which extended for the full period of my term”.

Mr Morrison also said he did not “take over” the ministries after being sworn in by the governor general, and that he did not interfere with ministers in the conduct of the portfolios except on one occasion, when he rejected a resources project.

Mr Morrison stepped down as leader of Australia’s Liberal Party after losing a general election in May 2022.

Members of his own cabinet, including finance minister Mathias Cormann, were not informed that Mr Morrison jointly held these offices, according to local reports.

National Party MP Keith Pitt, who served as resources minister under Mr Morrison, previously told ABC News that though he had “made [an] enquiry” about the appointment, he ultimately accepted Mr Morrison’s decision.

He added that the then prime minister, appointed as a second resources minister last year, had used the position to block a controversial petroleum exploration licence in New South Wales.

Mr Albanese is reported to have refused to comment on Mr Morrison’s decision to block the licence in his Sunday interview with Sky News.

According to ABC News, the then health minister Greg Hunt had agreed to share the portfolio in the event of being incapacitated by Covid infection.

Mr Cormann and Barnaby Joyce, Mr Morrison’s deputy from June 2021, denied having prior knowledge of the appointments.