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Nationals leader calls on former PM to explain secret portfolios

Ellen Ransley and Catie McLeodNCA NewsWire
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Camera IconNot Supplied Credit: News Corp Australia

David Littleproud has called on Scott Morrison to explain bombshell revelations he secretly swore himself into additional cabinet portfolios.

The former prime minister appointed himself as a secondary health, finance and resources minister while he was in the top job, blindsiding other ministers.

Governor-General David Hurley confirmed on Monday he handed Mr Morrison the control of multiple portfolios without an official swearing-in ceremony.

Mr Hurley didn’t name the specific portfolios.

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The Nationals leader said on Monday he thought it was “quite ordinary” that other cabinet ministers had been kept in the dark.

“I thought it would have been quite easy to notify all cabinet members at a cabinet meeting of the changed arrangements and the necessity to do it,” Mr Littleproud told Sydney’s 2GB Radio.

“So the fact that no one else was advised of that is not is not the usual process and, quite frankly, is quite ordinary.”

DAVID LITTLEPROUD PRESSER
Camera IconDavid Littleproud has called Mr Morrison’s actions ‘quite ordinary’. NCA NewsWire / Gary Ramage Credit: News Corp Australia

Asked if Mr Morrison had been “out of order”, Mr Littleproud said: “On the face of it, I’ve got to say, it doesn’t look good.”

“He hasn’t respected the principles of a Westminster government that has a forum of cabinet that allows that process to take place, particularly in a coalition government where there are two political parties,” he said.

Nationals Senate leader Bridget McKenzie said other members of the junior Coalition partner shared these concerns.

“We have a whole raft of matters being disclosed today that call those kinds of conventions into question. And I think that’s concerning,” Senator McKenzie told the ABC.

“With the Nationals you have seen David Littleproud and (former leader) Barnaby Joyce and myself saying, ‘This isn’t okay’.”

CHRIS BOWEN PRESSER
Camera IconNSW Treasurer Matt Kean says he supports Scott Morrison’s moves to scrap the controversial PEP-11 project. NCA NewsWire / Gary Ramage Credit: News Corp Australia

NSW Treasurer Matt Kean took a different approach.

The moderate Liberal congratulated Mr Morrison for “making the right call” to swear himself in as a second resources minister in order to scrap a controversial offshore gas project.

Mr Kean said if Mr Morrison had felt it necessary to take such a step to ultimately protect the environment, it was something he supported.

However, Mr Kean criticised Mr Morrison for not being transparent about his decision to make the unusual move without telling Resources Minister Keith Pitt.

Mr Morrison appointed himself as a second resources minister late last year in order to scrap the controversial PEP-11 gas exploration project.

The unpopular project threatened pristine NSW coastline in blue-ribbon Liberal electorates being eyed by teal independents.

Eleven months earlier, the Governor-General appointed Mr Morrison to take control of the entire department of industry, science, energy and resources, The Australian newspaper has reported.

Mr Morrison is also reported to have appointed himself to the health and finance portfolios in the early days of the Covid-19 pandemic, via a secret agreement struck with his then attorney-general Christian Porter.

At the time Greg Hunt was health minister and Mathias Cormann was finance minister.

Mr Cormann was unaware of the arrangement.

Mr Morrison appointed himself as a second resources minister late last year. NCA NewsWire / Gary Ramage
Camera IconMr Morrison appointed himself as a second resources minister late last year. NCA NewsWire / Gary Ramage Credit: News Corp Australia

Anthony Albanese called the reports “extraordinary and unprecedented” and has sought legal advice on the matter as well as briefings from the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet.

“There’s a whole lot of questions arising from this – what did Peter Dutton and other continuing members of the now shadow ministry know about these circumstances?” the Prime Minister told reporters on Monday.

Mr Albanese said he also questioned how the Governor-General could swear Mr Morrison into ministerial portfolios without transparency.

“It’s clear that the Australian people deserve explanations,” he said.

“This is very contrary to our Westminster system. It is unbecoming. It was cynical, and it was just weird.

“Australians will be scratching their heads today knowing that the government that they thought was there wasn’t actually the Australian government at all.”

Originally published as Nationals leader calls on former PM to explain secret portfolios

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