Scott Morrison believes that God has a "plan" for him. After losing the elections in May, this month he has appeared giving a sermon at former tennis player Margaret Court's church in Perth: "Don't believe in governments," he said, "don't believe in the United Nations." It is now known that who held the highest position in the Australian government between 2019 and 2022 did not believe in governments but in himself. During the years 2020 and 2021, Morrison was sworn in as Minister of Health (March 14), Finance (March 30), Industry, Science, Energy and Resources (April 15, 21) and Interior and Treasury (May 6). of 21) without the knowledge of the ministers involved, the cabinet or the electorate.
After seeking advice from the State Attorney, the current Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese, has announced that an investigation is being opened led by former Supreme Court Justice Virgina Bell. Her report will be delivered to the Government on November 25 and will include recommendations so that “this never happens again”, in the words of Albanese himself.
The Executive rules out opening a Royal Commission in Parliament. "It's becoming more of a witch hunt than identifying a problem that needs to be fixed," said Peter Dutton, leader of the Liberals.
In his report, the State attorney stresses that, although there is no legal "obligation" to publish them, the secret appointments "distort not only the functioning of the government, but also the relationship between the ministries and the public service."
Anne Towney, Professor of Constitutional Law at the University of Sydney, recalls that the difference between the appointment of a minister and others acting with powers – that is, an acting minister when the incumbent is traveling – is that the person involved knows it: “ The surreal thing is that he did not tell his colleagues or the departments he was in charge of. How can you be the minister of a ministry if the officials do not know that you are?
In 2020, the government was made up of the Conservative Coalition of Liberals and The Nationals, who are needed to form the executive. In an ABC interview, then-Nationals frontman Barnaby Joyce “thought” he recalled Morrison telling him that he was taking over the powers of his fellow party member Keith Pitt, the Resources Minister. Instead, the treasurer Mathias Cormann has found out from the press and called Morrison to ask for an explanation. Others, such as Health Minister Greg Hunt, knew that the prime minister had his hands on the handle of his briefcase.
At a press conference, Morrison argued that "in the minds" of public opinion, the media and the opposition he was responsible for everything: "Every drop that fell" or every "new variant of the virus." According to him, the pandemic put the country in an “extreme” situation, but that he did not make it public so that it would not be “misunderstood” and that he did not use his powers, until he did. In 2021, he used his ministerial credentials in Industry, Science, Energy and Resources to block the PEP-11 gas project.
Sonia Palmieri, a researcher on social norms in political leadership, points out that there are many political practices that are not "necessarily" codified in the Australian Westminster system. For Palmieri, Morrison's secrecy was his way of "clearing the way" like a "bulldozer" – something he himself said on the campaign trail – when in 2020, under the Biosecurity Act, ministers such as Health had special powers .
One of the unknowns is the role of the governor general, David Hurley, representative of Elizabeth II. Twomey notes that, based on communications from his office, he didn't know it would be kept secret, but that at best he could seek legal advice or ask the prime minister why: "In the end, I couldn't have done anything but sign."
Palmieri is more critical of Hurley, who pressured the prime minister to obtain 18 million dollars from the treasury for his foundation and who was appointed by Morrison: "Conflicts of interest are a fundamental problem for democracy," Palmieri emphasizes, "if you don't we understand this and we create a strict regulation with its public verification, for example, in the media, we have a serious problem”.
