Piers Akerman: Inquiry into Scott Morrison’s ministries a big waste of taxpayer money

It has been revealed that Scott Morrison’s decision to take on extra ministries was within the bounds of the constitution, which means Anthony Albanese is pursuing the former PM for only one reason.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s view is firmly fixed on the rear-vision mirror as his inquiry into his predecessor Scott Morrison’s decision to take the power to administer five portfolios during the pandemic gets under way.

Hindsight is a dangerous prism and judging historical events by contemporary standards with the benefit of extra knowledge is extremely unwise – if not worthless – but Labor and the Greens are past masters except when it comes to acknowledging their own histories.

Labor today ignores the abject failures of its greatest modern hero, Gough Whitlam, and his racist insults to refugees from the savage retribution of the Vietnamese cadres, just as it turns a blind eye to attacks on a free press by some of the party’s former prime ministers and their penchant for gross wastes of public money.

Albanese, who last week publicly released Solicitor-General Stephen Donaghue’s opinion on Morrison’s actions, has appointed former High Court justice Virginia Bell to conduct a further inquiry into the matter despite the competent review conducted by Donaghue and two counsel.

Because the Left and its claque of followers are particularly obtuse, it is necessary to state here that in Donaghue’s opinion Morrison’s actions were legal and were not in breach of the Constitution.

Anthony Albanese wants an inquiry into Scott Morrison’s extra ministries for political reasons only, writes Piers Akerman. Picture: Gaye Gerard / NCA Newswire

Albanese wants a further inquiry solely for political purposes – with the bill going to us taxpayers.

“He does need to be held to account for it,” Albanese said – and that’s what show trials are all about.

While Bell’s inquiry will be independent of government, Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus has already suggested one course the former judge may follow – inviting public submissions. Public denunciations were popular in Soviet Russia and during Mao’s Cultural Revolution.

If Albanese’s inquiry sounds like overkill, it is.

The proper place for holding politicians to account is within parliament and ultimately at the polls where the Morrison government paid so heavily at the last election.

Further, Donaghue addressed the major objection to Morrison’s actions – his failure to inform his colleagues and the public that he had taken additional powers – and also took into account the views of several former High Court justices including the former chief justice Murray Gleeson that the provisions in the Constitution concerning the executive government are expressed with a “deliberate lack of specificity” so as to avoid imposing “an unnecessary and inappropriate degree of inflexibility upon constitutional arrangements that need to be capable of development and adaptability”.

Flexibility is anathema to Labor and the Greens because their fundamental belief lies in rigid centralised government, not informed decisions (which is why Labor MPs are bound to vote as ordered by their party).

Anthony Albanese should be focused on what’s in front and not what’s behind him, writes Piers Akerman. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Flavio Brancaleone

Donaghue highlighted Gleeson’s view that “practices and conventions which promote efficient and effective government administration alter over time, and need to be able to respond to changes in circumstances”.

Morrison has said he would co-operate in “any genuine process” that attempted to learn the lessons of the pandemic while suggesting the inquiry should be extended to include the states and territories. Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews’ actions contributed to at least 800 deaths. Morrison’s actions were responsible for none.

Morrison said his actions had been necessary due to the “extraordinary circumstances” of the pandemic.

“I accept that many Australians will not agree with, accept or understand all the decisions I made during those difficult times,” he said in a social media post. “I can only state that I took the decisions I did as Prime Minister with the best of intentions.”

As for the secrecy aspect of the appointments, Donaghue noted there is no statutory requirement to publish an appointment to administer a department and there is no legal obligation to publish such appointments.

None of which has been good enough for Albanese and his Cabinet.

Albanese has stated he wants to find out what happened – Donaghue has already done that.

Albanese knows what happened. He knows it was legal and Constitutional and he has been handed a solution. All he wants now is to burn your money and, hopefully, hold Morrison’s feet to the fire.

What a complete waster.