Virginia Bell: It’s hard to believe Scott Morrison didn’t tell anyone to keep his extra ministries secret

A former High Court justice has slammed Scott Morrison for secretly giving himself extra ministries in a damning report that effectively accuses him of not telling the truth.

A former High Court justice has slammed Scott Morrison for secretly giving himself extra ministries in a damning report that effectively accuses him of not telling the truth.

In her report released on Friday, Virginia Bell, appointed in August by Anthony Albanese to probe the former PM’s secret portfolio grab, said the various excuses he had provided for his actions could not all be true.

The report also revealed that in addition to the five extra jobs he gave himself, the then PM had considered adding the Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment to his collection before eventually deciding against it.

Mr Morrison, who did not speak directly to Ms Bell, said through his lawyers he had made the decision to keep his extra portfolios secret from his ministers because he did not want them to think he was second-guessing them.

But in his explanation for why they were never made public through the Commonwealth Gazette, Mr Morrison said neither he nor his staff had ordered his department to keep them secret.

The former judge said she found Scott Morrison’s explanations “difficult to reconcile”. Picture: NCA NewsWire

He said he “assumed the usual practice would apply following the relevant Ministerial appointments”.

Ms Bell has found these two explanations “difficult to reconcile”.

She slammed the secret portfolio grab saying the effect was to “undermine public confidence in government” which when eventually exposed was “corrosive” of trust.

But while she criticised Mr Morrison for his behaviour, she found that because he didn’t use the powers to administer the affected departments “it is not apparent that there was any impact on the structure of the ministry.”

She also stepped back from making adverse findings against the Governor-General David Hurley, calling criticism against him “unwarranted”.

The report was commissioned in August after it was revealed Mr Morrison had secretly taken responsibility for the Departments of Health, Finance, Treasury, Home Affairs, and Industry, Science, Energy and Resources.

PM Anthony Albanese says he will accept all recommendations made by Virginia Bell.

Former High Court Justice Virginia Bell High Court was concerned about the lack of disclosure.

Releasing it, the PM attacked his predecessor for refusing to speak to Ms Bell, saying it “stands in stark contrast to what any reasonable person would have interpreted were Scott Morrison’s intentions when the inquiry was announced.”

He said Mr Morrison’s actions were extraordinary, unprecedented and wrong.

In a statement Mr Morrison defended his decision not to speak to Ms Bell directly, saying the “engagement was done via correspondence as was the practice with other respondents,” a position which he said she had accepted.

He said that at all times as Prime Minister he had sought to exercise his responsibilities in a manner that would best advance and protect Australia’s national interests and the welfare of the Australian people.

“This was done during a time of significant challenge not seen since the Second World War and the Great Depression,” he said.

“I am pleased that through these efforts and so many others that Australia was able to emerge from this period of significant crisis in a safer and more prosperous position than almost any other country in the world.”

Ms Bell has made six recommendations which the Prime Minister said will all be accepted by the government at a Cabinet meeting next week.

Under the changes governments will be forced by law to gazette who is appointed a minister or a member of the Executive Council.

They will also be forced to publish when these appointments end.

Governments will also be ordered to make public when someone becomes an acting minister for longer than two weeks.

They will also be forced to make this information available on government websites.

Mr Morrison has also welcomed the recommendations.

Originally published as Virginia Bell: It’s hard to believe Scott Morrison didn’t tell anyone to keep his extra ministries secret