Governor’s Diary of Ministries
Governor David Hurley’s diary makes no mention of giving then-Prime Minister Scott Morrison five cabinet-level powers.
From March 2020 to May 2021, Mr. Morrison was responsible for the Health, Finance, Treasury, Internal Affairs, Industrial, Scientific, Energy and Resources portfolios.
He has faced heavy criticism for taking over portfolios, often without the knowledge of his colleagues, and some within the Liberal Party are calling for him to resign.
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However, Mr. Morrison’s actions also drew in the governor, who approved the appointment.
Greens Senator David Shoebridge said Hurley needed to clarify whether the decision not to disclose the appointment was his or Morrison’s.
Senator Shoebridge said, “Something is deeply broken when the governor-general tells the world that he has awarded a belt to a champion sheepdog, but says nothing when appointing a former prime minister to five new ministries. .
Constitutional experts doubt that Harley’s or Morrison’s actions were illegal, but they criticize treaty violations.
Some within the Labor Party are weighing whether Hurley should step down, but Prime Minister Anthony Albanese remains focused on his predecessor.
The Governor’s Program details many of Mr. Hurley’s activities, including telephone calls, official functions, and luncheons.
Morrison was secretly appointed as Health Minister on March 14, 2020, after being tipped off by then-Health Minister Greg Hunt.
This is not recorded in Mr. Hurley’s diary. But the next day he said he announced the ‘Duke of Gloucester Sash’ at his 2020 National Sheepdog trial his championship in Canberra.
Similarly, the date of March 30, when Mr. Morrison was brought to power as Minister of Finance, is not mentioned in Mr. Hurley’s diary.
However, they do note that Harley received a series of calls, including from members of Australia’s National Security Law Oversight Agency.
On April 15, 2021, Mr. Morrison secretly acquired rights to the industrial, scientific, energy and resources portfolio.
He later used this power to revoke the approval of offshore NSW gas projects, a decision that went to court due to controversy.
Mr. Hurley’s diary makes no mention of the appointment. He attended meetings of the Federal Executive Council, a group of federal ministers who advise the governor-general.
A few days later he spoke with the Queen.
The following month, on 6 May, when Mr Morrison was appointed to the Treasury and Home Office with Mr Hurley’s approval, the Governor-General hosted several events in Canberra before dinner that evening.
Hurley’s office defended his actions, saying Morrison had followed procedures and “had no reason to believe” that Morrison’s appointment would not be communicated.
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Governor’s Diary of Ministries
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