live: Live updates: Scott Morrison apologises to Mathias Cormann for assigning himself finance portfolio
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Scott Morrison has apologised to Mathias Cormann for appointing himself to the finance portfolio, saying he thought the then-finance minister had been notified of the arrangement.
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4m agoMon 15 Aug 2022 at 11:29pm
By Jessica Riga
Key Event
Morrison does not dispute also taking control of social services
Morrison says he does not dispute claims he took joint power over a fourth ministry, the social services portfolio, in June 2021, during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“I don’t recall that … I don’t dispute that and my answer for all that is the same, we were dealing with an incredible amount of discretion and money being paid,” Mr Morrison told Sydney radio station 2GB.
“They were unprecedented times and as a result they were very unconventional times.
“Fortunately, none of these [appointments] in the case of the finance and the health portfolio were ever required to be used.”
7m agoMon 15 Aug 2022 at 11:26pm
By Jessica Riga
Albanese stands by Governor-General
The PM also told RN’s Patricia Karvelas that Scott Morrison started this “unprecedented” action and he didn’t intend to “pass judgement” on the Governor-General’s role, adding:
“There are checks and balances in our system, and they’ve been deliberately undermined,” he said.
“What is clear though is that we have the capacity and need to get to the bottom of this and Australians are entitled to know what was going on.”
8m agoMon 15 Aug 2022 at 11:24pm
By Jessica Riga
Key Event
‘There may well be more’ secret ministries, Albanese says
On ABC’s Radio National this morning, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese told Patricia Karvelas the three known ministries might not be the only ones:
“There may well be more, but I’ll have more to say about that when I’m properly briefed.”
When questioned on the Governor-General’s response he said:
“The Governor-General acted on the advice of the day.
“Scott Morrison was running a shadow government and not telling the Australian people what was occurring.”
So far, we know Morrison appointed himself to several ministries in secret, those portfolios being:
18m agoMon 15 Aug 2022 at 11:15pm
By Jessica Riga
Key Event
Former PM defends appointing himself to different portfolios
Former Prime Minister Scott Morrison has defended his decision to take on additional ministerial roles while leader.
Mr Morrison appointed himself as the joint health and finance minister at the beginning of the pandemic in 2020 but did not notify all of his cabinet colleagues or the public.
He then took on the resources ministry in 2021.
(ABC News: Matt Roberts)
Speaking on Nine radio, Morrison has defended his decisions.
“I think sometimes we forget what was happening two years ago. The situation we were dealing with, it was a very unprecedented time it wasn’t a conventional time,” he said.
He insists that he did not exercise his powers in the health or finance portfolios.
Mr Morrison has also said that he thought his office had notified then Finance Minister Mathias Cormann of the arrangements.
“I have apologised to Mathias for that [oversight].”
Morrison also said he doesn’t recall taking on any additional portfolios besides finance, health and resources.