Why Australia can’t easily move from Scott Morrison’s many ministries | Malcolm Farr

there are signs Scott Morrison For the prime minister sought to be a quiet Australian echo of the proudly proclaimed Louis XIV of France.L’état c’est moi”- I am the state.

In a nutshell, evidence could include Morrison’s frequent use of royal us. big press conference on Wednesday.

There are stronger indicators.

The former prime minister was not outright advocating the embodiment of the state, but he snuck into that general direction. praise oneself Greater ministerial powers.

why? On Wednesday, Morrison tried to argue that people wanted him.

He said there were “clear expectations established in the public mind” at the peak of the pandemic. Viruses, everything that happened during that period”.

So it wasn’t about making government more efficient. It was about Scott Morrison getting more power.

The stance that is part of Morrison’s plea for victimhood is one of many reasons Anthony Albanese We simply cannot move on from discussing the issues raised by his predecessor’s secret acquisition of a minister’s estate.

They range from the functions of the governor-general to the stability of the coalition agreement between the Nationalist and Liberal parties.

According to Nationals Senate President Bridget Mackenzie, Morrison violated a ministry quota under the Coalition Agreement by giving himself the power of Minister of Resources, who was the Nationals’ Keith Pitt at the time. .

And, of course, workers face the temptation of mischievous political sports. Opposition leaders are struggling with an unprecedented cabinet-level showdown by a man who hoped to return to power on May 21.

Workers keep reminding them of this.

The real essence was a question of transparency and accountability for the prime minister, and Morrison seemed to abandon his duties as he gave himself more power.

He deliberately did not tell most of his Cabinet that he was assuming five additional cabinet powers, and did not give full details to the Governor-General, David Hurley, then-Deputy Prime Minister, Michael McCormack, Prime Minister’s Staff, 2 A journalist and, potentially, a queen.

More importantly, he did not tell Parliament or the public that he was violating an important Westminster custom.

The process began on March 14, 2020, when Morrison transferred to the Department of Health and told Minister Greg Hunt. On March 30, he undertook the funding but did not tell the incumbent Matthias Koemann.

Almost a year later, on April 15, 2021, the buying impulse returned with Morrison’s appointment of himself as Deputy Minister for Resources, but Pitt was clueless.

Morrison then moved to the Treasury Department on May 6, without informing Josh Frydenberg, who submitted the budget five days later. Morrison also threw himself into domestic affairs that day, again without telling Minister Karen Andrews.

All this was done with a one-sentence reservation notice of just 36 words, signed by Harley and returned to Morrison’s office.

Another area of ​​speculation has to do with Morrison’s future.

He has said he will not resign from Parliament, a relief to New South Wales liberals who are less confident of keeping Cook’s seat these days.

“Apart from other things, it’s not in the interests of the Liberals. It’s a by-election in a very safe seat at the moment, especially as NSW faces provincial elections early next year. ‘, John Howard told ABC’s 7:30 on Tuesday.

Morrison’s controversy isn’t going away any time soon, and there’s no indication he specifically wants it. laughed about it on facebook.

This episode confirmed Morrison’s ability hide or at least delay the truth.

The politician who told an audience in Perth last month that he and an acquaintance “Don’t trust the government” A striking example of why trust is lost.

He indicated that his acquisition of additional powers was kept secret because public knowledge may have caused unrest.

This is a one-size-fits-all excuse for denying transparency and, in some ways of thinking, may foster suspicions of a dark state beyond the reach of ordinary citizens.

“I think there was a big risk during that time. [Covid] Morrison said Wednesday that these powers could be misunderstood or misunderstood, causing unnecessary anxiety during the pandemic and impacting the day-to-day functioning of government.

There are other reasons why the saga continues.

Legal advice on his activities is due to be provided on Monday, and the government has foretold an investigation backed by the opposition.

Opposition leader Peter Dutton said this week he hoped there would be “checks and balances to prevent a recurrence”.

Additionally, Pitt supports the Royal Commission’s proposals for handling the pandemic.

This potential stalemate of inquiries is what ensures the Morrison issue will still be active when Congress reopens on September 5th.

Sitting on the back bench, he becomes the object of ridicule by the workers.

Those on his own side of the House will be less playful. Their grim faces still have work to do.

His series of ministries claimed it was a precautionary measure should incumbents become Covid victims, but he used the extra force to overturn a pit and drop a Pep-11 off the NSW coast. It was only when we thwarted a gas exploration project.

It had nothing to do with the pandemic, and the veto would have helped the Liberal Party’s election chances last May.

Authority of the Gazumping Pit – Currently subject to legal challenge – It was an insight into what Morrison was poised to do in additional roles.

He wanted centralized power.

His pit ambushes are brutal and decisive, with MPs on both sides paying attention.