The final report from the inquiry into Scott Morrison’s own secret appointment to five additional portfolios has been released and found his actions were “unnecessary”.
Former high court justice Virginia Bell released her findings on Friday afternoon after Prime Minister Anthony Albanese asked her to report on the “facts and circumstances” of Morrison’s secret appointments to the ministries of health, finance, industry science energy and resources, home affairs and treasury during the pandemic.
“The lack of disclosure of the appointments to the public was apt to undermine public confidence in government,” Bell wrote.
“Once the appointments became known, the secrecy with which they had been surrounded was corrosive of trust in government.”
Speaking at a press conference after the report was published, Albanese called it a “scathing report” and said the findings showed Morrison’s decisions were “characteristic of dysfunctional government”.
“He misled the parliament every single day in which he stood there,” Albanese said.
“Scott Morrison clearly felt the confidence to be able to consider — not that he was a part of a democratic government, not that he was bound by the conventions in which parliament and government functions — but others who are aware of this as well.”
The inquiry made six recommendations to make government processes more transparent and keep politicians accountable, including legislation to require public notice of the appointments.
Albanese said he would recommend all six of Bell’s recommendations were implemented.
“The quick implementation of these recommendations will ensure that the Australian public can have full confidence that this breach of trust will never happen again,” he said.
Albanese launched the inquiry in late August after the solicitor general found the secret appointments were legal but “fundamentally undermined the principles of responsible government”.
At the time Albanese called for Scott Morrison’s resignation from parliament as a backbench MP.
He didn’t go as far this time but instead took aim at the current Federal Liberal Party members.
“After nine years of chaos, a dysfunctional government has now been replaced by a dysfunctional opposition.”
Pretty sure no one will ever be stupid enough to make the same mistakes as Morrison. Well, hopefully.
