‘Inexcusable’: Scathing report details former PM Scott Morrison’s shocking secret ministries scandal

A scathing report has revealed fresh details around former Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s shocking secret ministries scandal.

Scott Morrison has been savaged on social media over a bizarre defence of his decision to try to secretly appoint himself to nearly half of the portfolios in cabinet insisting it seemed like a good idea at the time.

But there was one word missing from his lengthy post on Facebook and that was the word “sorry.”

The former prime minister’s 553 word statement was a more succinct affair than some of his previous 1300 word social media posts on the subject.

But this time, he struck a defiant note insisting he knew more about national security than some of his other ministers and even the High Court judge Virginia Bell who was appointed to investigate his conduct.

“I also note that as Prime Minister my awareness of issues regarding national security and the national interest was broader than that known to individual Ministers and certainly to the Inquiry,’’ Mr Morrison said.

“This limits the ability for third parties to draw definitive conclusions on such matters.”

He also noted the following facts that remain unchanged from the Inquiry including that the authorities established were valid and were not found to be unlawful; no instruction was given by me as Prime Minister or my office not to publish these arrangements in the Government Gazette; no powers were exercised under these authorities, except in the case of the PEP11 decision, or misused; Ministers exercised their portfolio authorities fully, with my utmost confidence and trust, without intervention.

That prompted a furious response from some voters on Facebook who flooded his account to vent.

Scott Morrison responded to the report on Facebook.

“It was a power grab, pure and simple. Thank goodness the Australian people saw you for what you are,’’ one Facebook user said.

“In denial much? What you did wasn’t technically illegal, but was an affront to democracy, and they’re going to change the law to make your sort of actions illegal in the future. You were taking a leaf out of Trump’s book, and trying to become an autocrat,’’ said another.

“You trashed democracy and didn’t tell your colleagues or the Australian public the truth. Good riddance.”

In the statement, the former prime minister “noted” the report’s findings and said “I was pleased to assist the inquiry with six separate and comprehensive responses to matters raised with me and my legal representatives by Hon. Virginia Bell.

As previously revealed by news.com.au he did not agree to speak to Virginia Bell in person or be interviewed.

“This engagement was done via correspondence as was the practice with other respondents to The Inquiry and accepted by Hon. Virginia Bell,’’ he said.

“In relation to the broader matters that were subject of The Inquiry I note that at all times as Prime Minister I sought to exercise my 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.

“I note the criticisms made of my decision to be authorised to administer a series of departments where Ministers had specific powers not subject to the oversight of Cabinet. These decisions were taken during an extremely challenging period, where there was a need for considerable urgency.

“I note that the criticisms of my decisions have been made after the event and with the benefit of this perspective.”

As the report notes, the reason why nobody criticised the secret appointments at the time was because the public - and many of the cabinet ministers - were kept in the dark.

Albo slams Morrison

Anthony Albanese has also slammed Mr Morrison’s “unprecedented and inexcusable actions” in secretly appointing himself to multiple ministries as emblematic of the former government’s culture of secrecy.

Releasing a damning report examining Scott Morrison’s secret power grab today prepared by former High Court judge Virginia Bell, he said the report confirms the Solicitor-General’s conclusion that the principles of responsible government were “fundamentally undermined” because Mr Morrison was not “responsible” to the parliament.

Mr Albanese said that Justice Bell found the secrecy around the appointments was “apt to undermine public confidence in government” and was “corrosive of trust in government.”

The report was released on Friday afternoon by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and recommends a range of legal changes to ensure it can “never happen again.”

“This is a scathing report, which is an indictment on the Morrison Government and the culture of secrecy,’’ Mr Albanese said.

“The actions of the former prime minister were extraordinary. They were unprecedented, and they were wrong.

“I will recommend to the next meeting of cabinet that the Albanese Government accept all six of Justice Bell’s recommendations. The quick implementation of these recommendations will ensure that the Australian public can have full confidence that this breach of trust will never happen again.”

For the first time, the report also reveals Mr Morrison explored the idea of secretly appointing himself to another portfolio that was not previously known.

“What we now know from this report today, is that Scott Morrison also sought advice at the same time on being appointed as Minister of the Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment, that (he) ultimately decided not to proceed,’’ Mr Albanese said.

Former PM spoke to inquiry via lawyers

News.com.au previously revealed that Mr Morrison, who was not compelled to give evidence to the inquiry in person or via interview, did not do so.

Instead, he co-operated with the former High Court judge at arms length and via his legal team that was paid for by taxpayers and was not directly interviewed.

The former prime minister’s spokesman declined to confirm whether Ms Bell formally requested an interview or if he was interviewed.

“Mr Morrison has been engaged with the Bell Inquiry during the course of their investigation into the matters that were the subject of their terms of reference,” he said.

On August 30, Sky News reported that Mr Morrison would co-operate with the inquiry because he “respected” Ms Bell.

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The PM has slammed Scott Morrison’s actions. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Martin Ollman

Bizarre arrangements

The bizarre ministerial arrangements – which included secretly asking the Governor-General David Hurley to appoint him to the Treasury portfolio without the knowledge of then-Treasurer Josh Frydenberg – were exposed in August.

News.com.au revealed on August 14 that the former prime minister had secretly appointed himself to the resources portfolio and that he used those powers to roll his own Resources Minister Keith Pitt over a gas project.

It followed revelations in the book Plagued that Mr Morrison had secretly appointed himself to the health and finance portfolio.

However, it swiftly emerged that the Finance Minister Mathias Cormann was left completely in the dark about the changes and never knew about them at the time.

Mr Hunt agreed to the plan to share power in the health portfolio and war-gamed how to do it with then Attorney-General Christian Porter.

It then emerged that Mr Morrison also appointed himself to the Industry portfolio when Mr Porter held the role, without telling him he was using the “trick” he had taught him.

Anthony Albanese described Mr Morrison’s move as “inexcusable”. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Martin Ollman

Treasurer blindsided

Former Treasurer Josh Frydenberg has unloaded on Scott Morrison over his ministerial power grab, revealing he would have been rolled as Prime Minister if his cabinet colleagues had found out.

Author Niki Savva outlines a confrontation between the two men in her new book, Bulldozed, that reveals what happened when Mr Frydenberg read about the secret ministerial power grab in August 2022.

Another former staffer tells the author the power grab was “not kooky, but dangerous”.

In an exclusive extract published in Nine newspapers, Savva writes that Mr Morrison tried to contact Mr Frydenberg, “ostensibly to apologise to his former deputy”.

“Frydenberg ignored Morrison’s first few attempts, not trusting himself to speak to him, then finally responded. Frydenberg can’t actually remember Morrison using the ‘s’ word – sorry,” she writes.

“What really stuck in Frydenberg’s mind, and his craw, was Morrison’s response in that initial conversation when a profoundly disappointed Frydenberg put it to him that: ‘You wouldn’t do it again if you had your time over!’ Morrison replied: ‘Yes I would.’”

“Frydenberg was staggered. When he asked him why he had done it, Morrison had no coherent explanation, except to say that ‘No one understands what it was like’ – a theme he would reprise at his press conference afterwards, the one where he also insisted that he and Frydenberg remained ‘the best of friends’.”

Former Treasurer of Australia Josh Frydenberg was blindsided by the revelation. Picture: Asanka Ratnayake/Getty Images

ScoMo ‘would have been dumped as PM’

Former Treasurer Josh Frydenberg has unloaded on Scott Morrison over his ministerial power grab revealing he would have been rolled as Prime Minister if his cabinet colleagues had found out

If Mr Frydenberg had known about the secret takeover before, he says he would have insisted that Mr Morrison revoke the power grab.

In a new book, Bulldozed, Niki Savva writes he would have told Mr Morrison that he was the deputy leader and the treasurer – not him.

She also reveals that colleagues say that if Mathias Cormann had known, he “would have gone ballistic”.

“If Morrison had resisted, Frydenberg is convinced there would have been a challenge, because of the level of outrage in the party’s moderate and conservative ranks,” she writes.

‘System’ failed – Malcolm Turnbull

Former PM Malcolm Turnbull insisted that the Governor-General also had questions to answer.

“How did all these experienced people allow Morrison to do this?’’ Mr Turnbull said in August. “I remain astonished that there was apparently no pushback to Morrison when he embarked on his bizarre secret accumulation of power.

“If any of them had dug their heels in, pushed back, and done so in writing, it is hard to believe even the self-described bulldozer would have persisted. If they did not push back then they, and the system, failed.

“Morrison’s (chief of staff), John Kunkel, had worked for John Howard.

“He must have known this was a bad move. Equally PMC (Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet) officials including Stephanie Foster must have known this was utterly without precedent and wrong. What did they do and say? If they did nothing – the system failed.”

What the Solicitor-General said

The Solicitor-General’s advice, released publicly by Mr Albanese in August, was sharply critical of Mr Morrison’s decision not to inform his colleagues or the public of the appointments made between March 2020 and May 2021.

The nation’s top government lawyer said Mr Morrison’s self-appointment to the Department of Industry and the secrecy surrounding it raised the issue of whether it was “consistent with the principle of responsible government”.

“In my opinion, it was not,’’ the advice stated.

Former PM Malcolm Turnbull said the system had failed. Picture: David Caird

Scott Morrison defends conduct

Mr Morrison has previously defended his conduct amid accusations his actions amounted to “undermining responsible government”.

In a 731-word statement released on Facebook, Mr Morrison noted that the Solicitor General found that the appointments were ‘valid’.

“To respond to the Solicitor General’s advice I refer to my statement last week where I set out that at no time, other than the consideration of the PEP11 matter from first principles, did I exercise powers established under these lawful authorities,’’ he said.

“This means that I did not fulfil the function of an Acting or Co-Minister, as has been alleged. Ministers continued to exercise their full authorities without any interference, with my full trust and confidence.”

ScoMo was all smiles as he met Jordan Peterson recently. Picture: Facebook

The advice found the Governor-General had little choice but to agree to the changes.

“The Governor-General has no discretion to refuse to accept the prime minister’s (Mr Morrison’s) advice in relation to such an appointment,’’ the legal advice states.

“Nor is there any constitutional or legislative requirement for notification of such an appointment as a condition of its validity, or for the minister to subscribe another oath or affirmation following such an appointment.”

‘Somewhat unusual’

In an appendix to the Bell report, the inquiry includes a draft letter prepared by the former Prime Minister’s office to appoint himself the Department of Finance.

It includes a document for the Governor-General David Hurley to sign. If he had followed through with the plan Mr Morrison would have secretly appointed himself to nearly half the portfolios in cabinet without his colleagues knowledge.

The appendix also includes corresponded from a public servant noting the plan is “somewhat unusual” although there was the precedent from the Prime Minister’s earlier power grabs in health and finance.