Former Prime Minister Scott Morrison thanks colleagues ahead of censure motion over secret ministries

Scott Morrison has personally thanked his Coalition colleagues for their support since the election as he faces down a historic censure by Parliament.

But not all of them are happy with the former Prime Minister, with at least one Liberal MP planning to back the Labor motion condemning him for secretly taking on responsibility for five additional portfolios.

Leader of the House Tony Burke will ask the lower house on Wednesday morning to censure Mr Morrison “for failing to disclose his appointments to the House of Representatives, the Australian people and the Cabinet, which undermined responsible Government and eroded public trust in Australia’s democracy”.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese told a meeting of Labor MPs the inquiry by former High Court judge Virginia Bell into the secret ministries had been “devastating for the previous Government”.

Aged Care Minister Anika Wells quipped on Tuesday after being told to refer to Mr Morrison by his proper title: “So many titles to choose from!”

The Coalition will oppose the motion, with Opposition Leader Peter Dutton dismissing it as a political stunt.

“So much for a kinder and gentler parliament – this is Anthony Albanese at his political brawler best and we will not be part of it,” he told colleagues in Tuesday morning’s meeting of Coalition MPs.

A censure motion is the Parliament’s formal expression of disapproval of an MP. It’s only been used twice before against sitting MPs, and this would be the first time a former prime minister has been censured.

Mr Morrison used the party room meeting to thank colleagues for their support this week and since the election. One MP said his words were met with the usual “cheer squad”.

But Tasmanian Liberal MP Bridget Archer has confirmed she will support the censure.

She described Mr Morrison’s actions as “an affront to democracy” and said her position shouldn’t surprise anyone given the stance she has taken on integrity issues. Ms Archer crossed the floor in the previous Parliament to back a national integrity commission and also to offer greater protections for transgender students in religious schools.

“It would be an act of extreme hypocrisy for me personally ... to do anything other than to support that motion,” she said.

The focus on Mr Morrison’s behaviour – described by Ms Bell as “bizarre” and the secrecy involved as “corrosive of trust in government” – comes as a new code of conduct has been drawn up for politicians and staffers.

It says all MPs and their staff must treat everyone they come into contact with during their work with dignity, courtesy, fairness and respect – and “alcohol is no excuse” for breaches.

A separate set of standards of behaviour for everyone in parliamentary workplaces – including media, lobbyists and other Parliament House staff – says people must act respectfully, professionally and with integrity.

Both say bullying and harassment, sexual harassment and assault and discrimination “will not be tolerated, condoned or ignored”.

The code of conduct would apply to MPs and staffers in the course of their jobs, including outside normal business hours at social events or when travelling for work and covers communications via text or email.

The parliamentary committee tasked with drawing up the codes of conduct says they should be formally adopted as soon as possible after an Independent Parliamentary Standards Commission is set up, and established as an interim measure before then.

Committee chair Sharon Claydon said there had been several failed attempts over 50 years to implement a code of conduct for politicians.

“We owe it to the Australian people, and importantly, we owe it to everyone who shared their story of not feeling safe in Parliamentary workplaces to get this done. We cannot waste this opportunity,” she said.

The cross-party committee said sanctions for misbehaviour should range from training or making written apologies to cutting their salary or allowances or even suspension from Parliament, as recommended in the Jenkins report.

Ms Claydon said it was clear that “without a confidential, independent and serious investigative body with an effective sanctions regime, these codes will not be able to drive the long-term cultural change that is needed”.