Scott Morrison’s moves branded a ‘trashing of democracy’ by Anthony Albanese

Anthony Albanese has labelled former prime minister Scott Morrison’s secret appointment to five portfolios as an ‘extraordinary and unprecedented trashing of Australia’s democracy’.

Anthony Albanese in Canberra on Tuesday: ‘Who was holding what portfolios and who was ­responsible’. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Gary Ramage

Anthony Albanese has labelled former prime minister Scott Morrison’s secret appointment to five portfolios as an “extraordinary and unprecedented trashing of Australia’s democracy”.

“This has been government by deception, government in secret, the appointment of not a shadow ministry by the leader of the ­opposition, but a shadow government by the prime minister,” Mr Albanese said in Canberra on Tuesday.

“I used to say that Scott Morrison had two jobs as prime minister and he botched them both. It turns out I was wrong about there being just two jobs.”

Mr Albanese added that Mr Morrison had been “operating in secret, keeping the operations of the government from the Australian people themselves”.

He accused his Liberal ­predecessor of “misleading parliament as to who was holding what portfolios and who was ­responsible”.

“Mr Morrison said that he did not have trust in the government – not surprising given that he knew the nature of the government that he ran,” he said.

“I cannot conceive of the mindset that has created this.

“The way that the government has functioned that has led to a point whereby they said that, ‘I’m the prime minister of Australia and I’d also like to be in charge of Health, Finance, Treasury, Industry, Science, Home Affairs, ­Resources’.

“And the fact that Scott Morrison spent a considerable period of time dismissing things that were fact as gossip.”

Mr Albanese said, in light of the revelations, he was open to reforming administrative processes of government to ensure ministers were obligated to publicly reveal who was sworn into a portfolio at any given time.

But Mr Morrison swearing himself into five portfolios was not “business as usual”, with Mr ­Albanese arguing it went against normal customary practice.

Mr Albanese said he would ­receive legal advice from the Solicitor-General on Monday. He also defended the role of Governor-General David Hurley, saying he was right to follow the directions of the government of the day.

“I am open to a change of reforms or suggestions, but let’s be clear here – this isn’t business-as-usual,” Mr Albanese said.

“Conventions apply to the way that our democracy functions. It also is the case that the prime minister of the day tables information saying who is responsible for what.

“I think it’s very clear, here, that the responsibility for this undermining of our parliamentary democracy rests with those people in the Morrison government, including the former prime minister, who were a party to this.”

Mr Albanese said Mr Morrison’s appointment into five additional portfolios during the pandemic extended up until the federal election on May 21 this year, sparking concern that Mr Morrison had authority to make decisions across several portfolios in some cases without the knowledge of his cabinet colleagues.

The Prime Minister also indicated he would release documentation confirming Mr Morrison’s appointments, saying there were instruments signed during his takeover of the portfolios.

Mr Albanese said it was ­unlikely Mr Morrison received extra pay for his additional ­responsibilities.

“My advice is that it did extend (to the federal election),” Mr ­Albanese said. “That these ­appointments were made and they did not end.

“That’s the advice that I have at this point in time … So, to my knowledge, to give that caveat, no end date. And, secondly, I’m not aware of any financial issues ­arising from it.”