Prime Minister Anthony Albanese wants Scott Morrison to apologise to Australians

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has reignited the row over Scott Morrison’s power grab, as the Nationals insist the secret cabinet roles breached the coalition agreement.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has again blasted Scott Morrison over the secret ministerial portfolios and insisted he apologise to Australians.

Mr Morrison on Thursday reportedly apologised to former Home Affairs Minister Karen Andrews for not informing her he had also taken on her portfolio, along with Finance, Health, Treasury and Resources.

Mr Morrison had already apologised to Mathias Cormann and Josh Frydenberg, who were also deceived.

But Mr Albanese said the real apology was owed to Australian voters.

“The issue isn’t whether an apology has been given to Mr Frydenberg, or Karen Andrews, or others. The issue is that the apology is owed to the Australian people,” he said.

“The Australian people who were kept completely in the dark with this shadow government operating. And it’s the Australian people who had their democracy that they hold dear undermined by the activities of the former Coalition government.”

ALBO BEING ‘HYSTERICAL’: DUTTON

Peter Dutton has accused Prime Minister Anthony Albanese of being “borderline hysterical” in his reaction to Scott Morrison’s secret ministries.

The Opposition Leader said he could “understand” why his colleagues were upset and why the Australian people are “angry” after it was revealed Mr Morrison appointed himself to responsibilities within the health, finance, treasury, home affairs and resources portfolios between March 2020 and May 2021.

Mr Morrison has defended his move in relation to the first four portfolios as being a necessary “last resort” given the ongoing uncertainties posed by the Covid-19 pandemic, while his actions in resources were related to a political gazumping of the minister to deny a controversial offshore gas project.

Mr Morrison says he never actioned his power in the former four ministries, despite not telling many of his ministers about his moves, but Mr Albanese has strongly chastised his predecessor and asked for the Solicitor-General to provide legal advice.

Mr Dutton said Mr Albanese had taken a “political opportunity”.

Peter Dutton has accused Anthony Albanese of overreacting in his response to the Scott Morrison secret ministries revelations. Picture: NCA NewsWire / David Swift

“He sounded more like an opposition leader than a prime minister in the last couple of days and borderline hysterical,” Mr Dutton told 2GB.

“But he sees political opportunity and he’s taken it – fair enough.”

Mr Dutton chastised Mr Morrison for doing the wrong thing but said the former prime minister had “not gained anything out of this”.

“Obviously, he’s done the wrong thing here, and it’s certainly not something I would do if I was prime minister,” Mr Dutton said.

“(But) I think most people frankly want to move on and start dealing with issues that are more important.”

Mr Dutton’s defence came as a former home affairs minister doubled down in calling for Mr Morrison to resign.

Former prime minister Scott Morrison has defended his actions. Picture: Gaye Gerard / NCA NewsWire

Karen Andrews also revealed Mr Morrison had not contacted her despite having personally contacted former finance minister Mathias Cormann and former treasurer Josh Frydenberg to apologise.

The other ministers of impacted portfolios – former health minister Greg Hunt and former resources minister Keith Pitt – were aware of the move at the time.

Ms Andrews was not and has not been contacted.

“He hasn’t spoken to me. The last conversation I had with (him) was during the last sitting week in Canberra,” she told Sky News.

“He has his way of managing things. I am fine.”

Mr Morrison’s defence of his actions was that he took the decisions that he “thought (he)

needed to take”.

POWER GRAB BREACHED COALITION AGREEMENT

The portfolio power grab by Scott Morrison was a breach of the standing Coalition agreement, according to a senior Nationals frontbencher.

Opposition infrastructure spokeswoman Bridget McKenzie said the former prime minister secretly swearing himself into five ministries showed “great disrespect” to her party.

“Our Coalition arrangement is a negotiated outcome and they include a ratio of cabinet portfolios in a Coalition government,” Ms McKenzie told the ABC.

Nationals Senator Bridget McKenzie said the power grab breached the coalition agreement. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Gary Ramage

“And by essentially removing the authority of one of those ministers and giving it to a Liberal minister without that minister’s knowledge essentially breached the Coalition agreement.”

Despite the breach, Ms McKenzie said she did not think Mr Morrison should be forced to resign from parliament.

“Had the people chosen him to be their prime minister, there would be serious questions to be asked about him staying on in that role,” she said.

“But the people of Cook rightfully have chosen him. He is their representative in the Australian parliament and he should remain there.”

Originally published as Prime Minister Anthony Albanese wants Scott Morrison to apologise to Australians