Ex-PM Scott Morrison says he wishes he told ministers about secret portfolios

The former PM says there’s one glaring regret he has after secretly having himself appointed to five extra portfolios during Covid.

Former prime minister Scott Morrison says his biggest regret about secretly giving himself five portfolios during the Covid pandemic was not telling his ministerial colleagues, in particular Josh Frydenberg and then home affairs minister Karen Andrews.

In August 2022, it was revealed Mr Morrison had himself secretly sworn into the additional portfolios of health, finance, treasury, home affairs and industry, science and resources between 2020 to 2021.

Revelations Scott Morrison secretly gave himself five extra portfolios was lashed across the political spectrum. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Martin Ollman

Appearing in Sky News Australia’s Liberals in Power documentary on Tuesday night, Mr Morrison told journalist and one-time Liberal staffer Chris Kenny that while he believed the decision to take on the portfolios was right at the time, he regretted not telling his colleagues.

“Hindsight is a lovely thing, when you’re in the pandemic,” he said.

“I wish I’d spoken to Josh, but I thought that would have been disruptive.

“You’re not going to get every call right, and I particularly regret the impact that had on Josh (Frydenberg) and Karen (Andrews). We had good personal working relationships and I let them down on those two things.”

Former home affairs minister said she maintains her criticism of Mr Morrison. Picture: NCA NewsWire/ Gary Ramage

More than a year later, Ms Andrews said she stood by her criticisms of the revelations, including comments to the media calling on Mr Morrison to resign from parliament.

“I wish I never had to say what I did, but I don’t regret it,” she said.

“I haven’t changed my view … I thought it diminished the Liberal Party. It diminished Scott Morrison.”

In the aftermath of the scandal, Mr Frydenberg also told journalist Niki Savva in her book Bulldozed that Mr Morrison’s action was an “extreme overreach”.

“That being said, I don’t think there was any reason for Scott to take on the additional treasury portfolio,” he said.

Treasurer Josh Frydenberg later told journalist Niki Savva Mr Morrison’s actions were “profoundly disappointing”. Picture: NCA NewsWire/ Gary Ramage

“The fact he did take it, and it was not made transparent to me and others, was wrong and profoundly disappointing.”

Barnaby Joyce, the then-Nationals leader who served as deputy prime minister alongside Mr Morrison, also remained critical.

“As it became apparent, he (Mr Morrison) wanted to also become the president and had too much of a say in what was other people’s dung heaps ,” he told Kenny.

“He should have stayed away from that.”

* The Liberals in Power documentary can be watched on demand on SkyNews.com.au.

Originally published as Ex-PM Scott Morrison says he wishes he told ministers about secret portfolios