Extract from The New Daily
Fresh questions are emerging about Scott Morrison’s secret ministerial grab after it was revealed former Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack knew about one of the appointments.
On the ABC’s Q+A program on Thursday night, former Resources Minister Keith Pitt confirmed Mr McCormack was aware of Mr Morrison swearing himself in as resources minister in 2021.
Mr Pitt said the then National Party leader was told “somewhere in 2021” but he could not recall under what circumstances the information was relayed.
Host Stan Grant sought clarity on the detail and asked Mr Pitt: “You told Michael McCormack, ‘Hey, Scott Morrison has now sworn himself in to my portfolio as effectively co-minister’, you told Michael McCormack, the leader of your party, then-Deputy Prime Minister, that explicitly?”
To which Mr Pitt, the Member for Hinker in Queensland, replied: “It may have occurred in a meeting that Michael was at with all of us, including the PM and his representatives, or it may have been a separate discussion. I’m working my way through what is a very complex diary.
“We had a discussion, Michael was aware, but my recollection was that he may well have been in the room when we had a previous discussion with the PM.”
The news is the latest to break in the unfolding political scandal of Mr Morrison swearing himself in as minister for health, finance, industry, home affairs and treasury between March 2020 and May 2021.
Mr Morrison has said he kept the roles confidential so as not to “undermine the confidence of ministers in the performance of their duties”.
Minister for Emergency Management and Agriculture Murray Watt, also on the Q+A panel, said it was an “extraordinary revelation” that “the deputy prime minister of the country was in on this as well” and called for Mr Morrison to resign.
But Mr Morrison has been shrugging off calls to leave parliament and on Thursday night took to Facebook to make light of the situation, posting a meme he had created alongside a “feeling amused” emoji.
The image featured his own face photoshopped as a member of the Australian comedy group Sooshi Mango, in a poke at himself taking over other people’s jobs.
“It’s been fun joining in on all the memes,” posted Mr Morrison.
“But there are so many now I can’t keep up. As Aussies we can always have a chuckle at ourselves.have a good evening.
“This was my own effort with the Sooshi Mango boys. Glad to be also joining their team, along with all the other gigs you guys have given me today.”
The Sooshi Mango Facebook page responded, “you can appoint yourself as a member of Sooshi Mango as long as we can appoint ourselves as minister of the Australian Taxation Office”.
Later in the comments Mr Morrison posted another meme of himself as coach of his rugby league home team the Cronulla Sharks.
“Don’t mind this one either. But that job is definitely filled and Fitzy is doing an awesome job. UpUpCronulla,” he wrote.
The post drew hundreds of comments, many of which vented fury over Mr Morrison not seriously reflecting on his behaviour.
A post from Deb Mastello tagged Mr Morrison and fumed: “Clearly you have no clue. This is pathetic and shows your clear disregard and disrespect for the Australian people. This is not funny.”
James Jansson wrote: “You think the running of this country is a joke. Have some humility and say you made a mistake. We don’t need US-style gloating about how badly you behaved in office.”
However Mr Morrison had some support, with Charmaine Brillanti congratulating him for having a laugh.
“Isn’t it nice to actually see a bit of our wonderful Aussie humour around? Been missing far too long,” she posted.
Trudi Fryer posted that the furore was a “storm in a teacup”.
Secret ministries fallout
Meanwhile Mr Morrison could face questions from parliament’s powerful privileges committee over the secret appointments.
Greens leader Adam Bandt has written to House of Representatives Speaker Milton Dick requesting the matter be examined by the committee.
Mr Bandt said the committee would look at whether the former prime minister had committed any breaches or been in contempt of parliament.
But Opposition Leader Peter Dutton has taken aim at upcoming legal advice from the solicitor-general, saying it would offer nothing more than a chance for Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to criticise his predecessor.
The solicitor-general is set to hand his advice to the government on Monday, following revelations Mr Morrison was sworn in as minister for health, finance, industry, home affairs and treasury between March 2020 and May 2021.
Mr Dutton said while what Mr Morrison did was wrong, Australians wanted to put the scandal behind them.
Mr Albanese said his predecessor still owed an apology to the Australian public over the scandal.
“It’s the Australian people who were kept completely in the dark with his shadow government operating,” he said.
“It’s the Australian people who have had their democracy undermined by the activities of the former coalition government.”
-with AAP
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