Thread by @abc730

Former prime minister Scott Morrison fronted the cameras today in a new attempt to reframe his decision to secretly appoint himself to five powerful ministerial portfolios within his own cabinet. @latingle #abc730 #auspol

“It’s a little known fact that the Prime Minister is not mentioned in the constitution. The constitution speaks of Ministers of State. And our system of government works on the principle of collective responsibility for decisions exercised by the cabinet.” - @latingle #abc730

"Scott Morrison argued today that the reason he had appointed himself to five crucial portfolios in 2020 and 2021 was because they were ones in which ministers have significant powers to take decisions without cabinet approval.” - @latingle #abc730 #auspol

“His comments seemed to show a fairly comprehensive misunderstanding of both the constitution’s silence on the role of a prime minister, and of the idea of collective responsibility.” - @latingle #abc730 #auspol

“None of his answers today really explain the fact that he did not feel compelled to tell his colleagues that he had given himself the power to override the decisions the laws of the land gave them alone the power to make.” - @latingle #abc730 #auspol

“Presuming those ministers were all operating under the impression that they worked in a cabinet government, you would wonder what sort of riot there would be if he had disclosed this to his colleagues around the cabinet table.” - @latingle #abc730 #auspol

“Late this afternoon [Governor-General] David Hurley put out another statement on the controversy which defended his role and, pointedly, said that he had ‘no reason to believe that appointments would not be communicated’.” - @latingle #abc730 #auspol

“The biggest questions: what was the PM’s motivation for secrecy, and does the Governor-General’s assertion that publicising appointments is a matter for the government of the day hold water?” - @latingle #abc730 #auspol

“The High Court found the executive - that’s cabinet - has a formal responsibility to inform the parliament of its actions, according to a 1997 High Court interpretation of section 64 - the same one under which the Governor-General appoints ministers.” - @latingle #abc730 #auspol

“While Scott Morrison has apologised to his colleagues for not telling them what he had done, that would suggest the real apology is owed to the people and the Parliament for failing to inform them of his actions.” - @latingle #abc730 #auspol