Anthony Albanese suggests Scott Morrison could have taken on further portfolios

Former prime minister Scott Morrison acknowledges taking on additional responsibilities was “unconventional” but necessary because of the pandemic as Prime Minister Anthony Albanese suggested Morrison assumed more than three portfolios.

“We had to take some extraordinary measures to put safeguards in place,” Morrison told Sydney radio station 2GB on Tuesday morning.

Former prime minister Scott Morrison took on the portfolios of then-health minister Greg Hunt, right, then-finance minister Mathias Cormann, bottom left, and then resources minister Keith Pitt.Credit: Alex Ellinghausen

“Importantly, none of these, in the case of the finance and the health portfolios, ever were required to be used. They were there as a safeguard, they were there as a redundancy because both the powers in those portfolios weren’t overseen by cabinet, and the ministers themselves, in both cases, had powers that few ministers in our federation’s history were having.”

Albanese said he would receive additional information from the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet on Tuesday morning but suggested Morrison took on more than the finance, health and resources portfolios.

“There may well be more. I’ll have more to say when I’m properly briefed,” Mr Albanese said on Radio National on Tuesday morning.

Albanese said he had no questions for Governor-General David Hurley who said in a statement on Monday he acted on Morrison’s advice when he swore him into the additional portfolios.

“The governor-general’s role is to take the advice of the government of the day. He did that. He’s issued a statement and I don’t intend to pass judgement there. I think the blame for this lies fairly and squarely with the former government. Other ministers knew this was going on and chose not to make this public.”

Morrison took on the portfolios of then-health minister Greg Hunt, then-finance minister Mathias Cormann and then-resources minister Keith Pitt while prime minister without publicly announcing that decision to the Australian public.

Albanese said he was “not aware” of Morrison being paid for his additional duties but he “doubted” that would have been the case.

Nationals leader David Littleproud said Morrison needed to give a public explanation of the actions he took.

“It is important that Mr Morrison gives an explanation, so that there’s clarity,” Littleproud said on ABC television on Tuesday morning.

“The institution of cabinet is a very important one, and part of the executive government of the democracy that we hold dear. And so, it’s important that there is trust within that institution, particularly cabinet.

“And that’s why I think the best thing that could happen now is Mr Morrison gives an explanation and clarity around the decisions that he made around signing himself into the three portfolios.”

Littleproud said Morrison should speak in detail about his actions, particularly about the role of the governor-general.

More to come.