Former Home Affairs minister Karen Andrews says Scott Morrison should resign

A former government minister has called on Scott Morrison to resign from parliament, saying he had shown contempt for colleagues and the Australian people by secretly swearing himself into portfolios.

Former Home Affairs Minister Karen Andrews has called for Scott Morrison to resign from parliament, saying she was “beyond disappointed” following explosive revelations he had been secretly appointed to five portfoliosother than his own.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Tuesday confirmed Mr Morrison, aside from the Health, Finance and Resources portfolios, had also been given power over Home Affairs and Treasury in an “extraordinary and unprecedented trashing” of Australia’s democracy.

Ms Andrews, now the Opposition Home Affairs spokeswoman, confirmed she found out Mr Morrison had the power to directly undermine her in her own portfolio as it was being reported in the media on Tuesday.

Former Home Affairs minister Karen Andrews. File picture: Mike Batterham

“Whilst I was clearly starting to wonder considering what was unfolding, I had certainly not been told by anyone that the former prime minister had been sworn into my portfolio,” she said.

“I was given absolutely no knowledge that was what had happened. I am beyond disappointed with these actions.”

Ms Andrews said the moves by Mr Morrison was “unacceptable on so many levels”, including the contempt with which he treated his cabinet ministers, the circumvention of bureaucracy, and “most importantly” the way he had treated Australians.

“It diminishes Scott Morrison, it diminishes his government,” she said.

“I actually think Scott Morrison needs to resign. I think it is now no longer acceptable for him to remain a parliamentarian if this is the level of disregard he has for the Australian public.”

Opposition Leader Peter Dutton won’t call for Scott Morrison to resign, saying it was time for “cooler heads to prevail”.

“The Prime Minister has come out of his holiday swinging and obviously this is an issue that he will sink his teeth into (but) there are bigger issues that … Australia families are dealing with at the moment,” he said.

Mr Dutton confirmed he had texted Mr Morrison but was yet to speak to him.

“The Prime Minister has sought legal advice, he will get that back Monday and that is a process set in place and so I think we should respect the process,” he said.

“We should wait for that legal advice.”

Mr Dutton, the former Defence minister, said he was unaware Mr Morrison had control over five portfolios.

But he defended the move, saying the start of the pandemic was a “war-like situation” and there was a concern about what would happen should ministers—including Health Minister Greg Hunt and Finance Minister Simon Birmingham—were to become incapacitated.

Ms Andrews said “there may well” have been good reasons why he wanted to be able to have control of the Finance and Health portfolios amid a pandemic, but the secrecy was unacceptable.

Former prime minister Scott Morrison during Question Time in Canberra earlier this month. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Gary Ramage

“Where it became unacceptable is where he took that action unilaterally, without going through the cabinet process, without extending the courtesy to (inform his ministers),” she said.

Ms Andrews said this was an “incredibly significant issue” of transparency.

She said she was not yet sure if Mr Morrison had taken any decisions in her portfolio without her knowledge, but said nothing would surprise her.

“If he was concerned about anything he should have spoken to me about it,” Ms Andrews said.

Asked if Mr Morrison’s response to the scandal had been up to scratch so far, Ms Andrews said what she had heard from him was “weak and implausible”.