System ‘abuses’ demand scrutiny, say Greens

The Greens have called for Labor’s proposed corruption watchdog to examine the failings in the political system that allowed Scott Morrison to secretly appoint himself to five other portfolios.

Greens MP David Shoebridge. Picture: Newscorp NCA Newswire / Gaye Gerard

The Greens have called for Labor’s proposed corruption watchdog to examine the failings in the political system “from the Governor-General down” that allowed Scott Morrison to secretly appoint himself to five other portfolios ­between March 2020 and May 2021.

The push from the minor party’s justice spokesman, David Shoebridge, came as teal independents condemned the former prime minister’s behaviour and backed an anti-corruption commission potentially having oversight of ministerial appointments.

Labor is expected to table its draft legislation on its anti-­corruption commission in the next sitting fortnight, scheduled for September, after extensive consultations with the crossbench.

Mr Shoebridge said Mr Morrison had demonstrated the need for a corruption watchdog. He also said the Greens party – which has the controlling stake in the balance of power in the upper house – was weighing up whether to refer the former prime minister for a parliamentary investigation.

“A federal corruption commission with real teeth should … prevent future corruption (and) act as a deterrent to this or any future government behaving in this lawless manner,” he said.

“Secret ministries are an attack on the fundamentals of parliamentary accountability. Parliament can’t do its job and hold a minister to ­account if we don’t know the minister even exists.

“For this reason, the Greens are currently seeking advice on when and how we refer former prime minister Scott Morrison to the privileges committee for a separate investigation.”

Mr Shoebridge said a new corruption watchdog should “look at the deeper structural failures that allowed the political system, from the Governor-General down, to just tick off on this abuse of power”.

Independent Sophie Scamps also called for Mr Morrison to be “urgently referred to the privileges committee” after the “unprecedented undermining of cabinet and good governance”.

West Australian independent Kate Chaney said Mr Morrison’s self-appointments were “extraordinary and shocking”.

“It shows there are cultural ­issues and structural issues that need to be addressed,” she said.

Ms Chaney left the door open to a corruption watchdog having oversight of such be­haviour and said there was ­“potentially” a case to be made for appointments to be in the ­anti-corruption commission’s purview.

Goldstein independent Zoe Daniel said Mr Morrison’s actions and his recent comments that he was no longer involved in the “day-to-day” business of politics showed he did not value democracy and should “move on”.

“In saying he’s not involved in day-to-day politics, while being paid as the member for Cook, he’s once again demonstrating the sense of entitlement that Australia rejected at the election,” she said. “If he’s not willing to do his job, he should move on and allow someone who does value democracy to do it.”