PM Anthony Albanese brands former Morrison government’s boat arrival antics on election day a ‘disgraceful event’

The former Morrison government ‘trashed convention’ with its election day boat reveal, the Prime Minister says.

Revelations the former Morrison government pressured department officials to release details about an asylum seeker boat interception on election day was a “disgraceful event” that “trashed convention”, the Prime Minister says.

The former Morrison government leaked details about the interception of a suspected asylum seeker boat on election day, according to a Department of Home Affairs report.

Home Affairs Secretary Michael Pezzullo found departmental officials, including the Australian Border Force, acted with integrity by refusing to release a media statement while an operation was underway.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the secretary acted appropriately against the pressure from the then government.

“This was the final act of the Morrison government and that was one that trashed convention and sought to abuse the relationship with the public service,” Mr Albanese told Sky News on Sunday.

“It was a disgraceful event, it shouldn’t have happened and it should never happen again.”

Anthony Albanese branded it a ‘disgraceful event’. Photo: NCA NewsWire / Ian Currie

Mr Albanese said his government would consider Mr Pezzullo’s recommendation to change caretaker convention, to ensure sensitive information was not released during an election campaign unless there was an emergency.

“We’ll have a look at any of the recommendations but the point here is the word convention,” he said.

“Convention relies upon some element of decency and goodwill, that’s the nature of convention as opposed to rules. And here we have a government that was prepared to trash the convention.

“The Morrison government weren’t so much conservatives because conservatives believe in respecting institutions and respecting conventions.

“There was nothing respectful about the actions of the government on that day.

“It was opportunistic. It was unprincipled. It was unprecedented, and it shouldn’t have happened.”