An independent inquiry into former Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s secret ministerial portfolios has recommended new laws requiring the public be told of similar appointments.
In a stunning revelation earlier this year, it was discovered Morrison had self-appointed himself to the treasury, home affairs and industry, science, energy and resources portfolios.
The review by former High Court Justice Virginia Bell was delivered to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese today and found that Morrison used his secret powers once to overrule a minister in a matter unrelated to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Throughout the scandal, Scott Morrison has maintained the appointments were necessary for the function of the Federal Government throughout to the pandemic.
The report makes six recommendations, with the focus on making all ministerial appointments should be made public.
Justice Bell concludes that the “lack of disclosure of the appointments to the public was apt to undermine public confidence in government”.
“Once the appointments became known, the secrecy with which they had been surrounded was corrosive of trust in government.
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Anthony Albanese has said he’ll recommend all six of the recommendations from Justice Bell’s inquiry be accepted by Cabinet, to “ensure that the Australian public can have full confidence that this breach of trust will never happen again”.
“The unprecedented and inexcusable actions of the former Prime Minister were emblematic of the culture of secrecy in which the previous Government operated. ”.
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