Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says he would look into allegations that his predecessor, Scott Morrison, covertly took on three responsibilities in the cabinet.
According to local media, in the two years preceding his loss of power in May, Mr. Morrison became joint minister for the health, finance, and resources ministries.
Albanese has called the judgments “unacceptable” and “simply odd,” and he has said he will seek legal counsel.
The ex-prime minister is staying mum.
On Monday, Governor-General David Hurley confirmed he had signed an “administrative instrument” allowing Mr. Morrison to secretly assume the portfolios. Governor-General Hurley is the representative of Queen Elizabeth II in Australia. A representative for the government stated it was “compatible with section 64 of the constitution.”
However, Mr. Albanese, legal experts, and Mr. Morrison’s former colleagues have all criticised the cloak of secrecy that has surrounded it.
It has been alleged that not all ministers were aware that the former prime minister shared their ministries.
This is the kind of “tin pot” behaviour that we would mock if it were taking place in a non-democratic country, Mr. Albanese told reporters on Monday.
Nothing about this works right now. In any case, let me explain why this might be a significant concern.
Questions are warranted when the leader of any country, let alone a democracy, assumes several responsibilities without informing the public or his peers.
If verified, this also suggests the previous prime minister sought to consolidate power in order to exercise ultimate decision-making authority.
Keep in mind that all of this was occurring while Australia was experiencing periodic lockdowns and the Morrison administration was under fire for its handling of the vaccine programme.
Even Scott Morrison, the prime minister at the time, apparently lacked faith in his own government, further undermining public support for the incumbent administration.
