Inquiry into Morrison’s secret appointments
CANBERRA: An inquiry will be held into former prime minister Scott Morrison’s decision to appoint himself to several ministries, after government legal advice said it was ‘‘inconsistent’’ with constitutional conventions.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese released advice yesterday from the solicitorgeneral on the legal implications of Morrison’s decision to secretly swear himself into five ministries.
While the advice said Morrison was validly appointed to the role of resources minister in April 2021, it said the secrecy around the appointment was unusual.
‘‘[That] the parliament, the public and the other ministers who thereafter administered (the resources department) concurrently with Morrison were not informed of 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 administer those departments is not publicised.’’
The solicitorgeneral’s advice said the governorgeneral had no discretion to refuse the thencoalition prime minister’s advice to appoint him as minister.
Albanese said the inquiry into Morrison’s actions would be standalone, and not woven into an examination of decisions taken during the pandemic.
‘‘It needs to be not a political inquiry but an inquiry with an eminent person with a legal background to consider all of the implications,’’ he said yesterday.
‘‘We will make a future announcement about an inquiry. I am giving notice today that that inquiry will take place. This isn’t something that can be just dismissed.’’
The prime minister said the inquiry would also look at reform to ensure secret appointments could not take place again. to
The solicitorgeneral’s 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.’’
Albanese said he asked the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet to work with the GovernorGeneral’s office to adopt the practice of gazetting all future appointments.
‘‘We will also give further consideration to whether any further immediate changes are required,’’ he said.
‘‘One of the things we will need to consider is any future legislative changes to make sure that that is enshrined, to make sure that it is not dependent upon the goodwill of the government of the day.’’ — AAP