Health News at Your Fingertips

Morrison defends decision to take portfolios because he didn’t use them

Circling back to Morrison’s interview on 2GB, he defended not making the assumption of health and finance portfolios public knowledge because he did not use the powers.

We had to take some extraordinary measures to put safeguards in place. …none of these in the case of the finance and the health portfolio ever required – were required to be used – and they were there as a safeguard. They were there is a redundancy because both of the powers, the powers in those portfolios, they went overseen by cabinet. So, the Minister himself and, in both cases, had powers that few, if any Minister, in our Federation history was having.

He did not explain as explicitly whether he exercised the powers as the resources minister with the decision blocking Pep11 gas exploration licence off the coast of NSW go ahead, as he did with health and finance.

A 35-year-old woman has been arrested after allegedly stabbing her two children in a car on a motorway in Adelaide late last night.

South Australian Police have released a statement:

Just before 11.30pm on Monday 15 August, police were called to the North South Motorway at Wingfield after a member of the public phoned to advise a woman had been detained.

Police will allege that the woman stopped her car and removed her two young children before stabbing them with a knife.

A member of the public stopped his car on the motorway and intervened, disarming the woman. Soon after he was assisted by other members of the public who restrained the woman until police arrived.

The two young children from Modbury Heights, were taken to the Women’s and Children’s Hospital by SAAS where they were treated for critical injuries. They remain in hospital in a stable condition.

The woman, a 35-year-old from Modbury Heights, was arrested and taken to Royal Adelaide Hospital where she has been detained and will likely be charged with two counts of attempted murder.

Benita Kolovos

Victorian government to introduce bill in response to Lawyer X inquiry

People who expose the identity of police informants may face 10 years’ jail under a bill to be introduced to Victoria’s parliament in response to the Lawyer X royal commission.

The state’s attorney general, Jaclyn Symes, announced the Human Source Management Bill 2022 will be introduced to parliament on Tuesday to deliver on 25 of the recommendations from the royal commission.

The inquiry was called in 2018 after it emerged that the former defence barrister Nicola Gobbo had been acting as a police informant against her own clients and other high-profile mafia figures.

The bill is the first of its kind in Australia and sets out the process for the registration, use and management of Victoria police informants and establishes an external oversight model to ensure they are used in an ethical and justifiable manner.

Under the reforms, Victoria police will have to apply to a senior officer to register a person as an informant. The senior officer will only approve the registration if it is appropriate and justified.

Protections will be put in place where the risks are greatest – such as when a person has access to privileged information, is under 18 or has a serious physical or mental health condition.

The bill makes it an offence to disclose information that would reveal a person is or was an informant unless the disclosure is for a permitted purpose, with a maximum penalty of two years’ jails.

It also includes an aggravated offence where a person who discloses the information does so to either endanger the health or safety of any person, or interfere with a criminal investigation or prosecution. The maximum penalty for this offence is 10 years’ jail.

The Public Interest Monitor office will oversee all registrations of high-risk informants and the Independent Broad-based Anti-Corruption Commission will monitor Victoria Police’s compliance with the scheme.

If passed, 48 of the 55 recommendations to government would have been acted upon since the royal commission handed down its findings last year.

Symes says work is well underway to deliver the remaining recommendations:

Human sources are extremely valuable for police but we need clear laws in place to appropriately manage the inherent risks that go with it for both the person involved and Victoria Police.

These important and nation-leading reforms achieve the appropriate balance between mitigating the risks of using human sources and ensuring Victoria Police can continue to act on information to keep our community safe.

Scott Morrison was sworn into a fourth portfolio, with documents revealing more about the former prime minister’s moves to secretly install himself across his government’s ministries, AAP reports.

An administrative arrangements order for the social services portfolio was signed by Morrison and the governor general David Hurley on 28 June 2021, on top of him also being privately sworn in as health minister, finance minister and resources minister.

‘I think it was the right decision’: Morrison defends taking over resources portfolio

Morrison was asked about his involvement in decisions around the resources portfolio on 2GB earlier this morning.

As my colleagues Sarah Martin and Lisa Cox report:

Morrison’s decision to use extraordinary ministerial powers to block the controversial Pep11 gas exploration licence off the coast of NSW is being challenged in the federal court, with the proponent accusing the former prime minister of “bias” that denied procedural fairness.

Morrison responded on 2GB that the resources portfolio had a “specific set of circumstances”.

He maintains:

I think it was the right decision.

Morrison apologises to Mathias Cormann, admitting error

Mathias Cormann, the former finance minister, was not aware that Morrison had given himself the powers of the finance minister and only learned about the alleged assumption of powers this week.

On that, Morrsion told 2GB:

That was an error … I’ve apologised to Mathias for that.

I thought matter had been sorted between offices.

The former prime minister Scott Morrison is appearing on 2GB after revelations he appointed himself to several ministries in secret while in government.

Morrison says his appointments to three cabinet roles were “safeguards” during “unprecedented” times.

Asked about why he was not upfront about these appointments, Morrison responded:

All ministers know their direct powers are matter between the prime minister and them not the cabinet.

These were not issues that were subject to cabinet.

Uncertainty whether federal integrity commission could investigate secret appointments

I mentioned in that first post that the Independent MP Helen Haines has been among those raising the alarm regarding Morrison’s secret appointments. Haines along with Nationals leader David Littleproud are both saying Morrison must provide an explanation.

Haines told ABC Breakfast News earlier this morning:

It is the secrecy that is astonishing and we must get an explanation from the former prime minister about his actions.

She said in despite of the “difficult time” during the Covid-19 pandemic, the secrecy is what is concerning:

One could understand how the prime minister may have wished to ensure that there was a safety net, particularly around the role of the health minister. We had no vaccines for Covid at the time.

But the fact that he chose not to tell anyone about this, the fact that his cabinet – many members of his cabinet – didn’t know about this – the prime minister has a responsibility to inform the parliament, the public and to inform his cabinet. It is a most extraordinary and alarming set of circumstances, I believe.

What is clear is that the commonwealth gazette was non updated. Normal precedent wasn’t followed and we have a set of circumstances that just leave us with more questions than answers.

Haines last year presented a bill for a national integrity commission before the House of Representatives and has been spearheading the issue.

The prime minister Anthony Albanese said on ABC Radio earlier this morning that it’s unclear whether or not the revelations surrounding Morrison’s secret appointments could be a matter for a federal integrity commission.

Josh Butler

Government searching for legal papers on Morrison’s ministries

Albanese says he doubted Scott Morrison would have received extra pay for taking on additional secret ministry portfolios, but is still getting further legal advice.

Albanese said the government is still searching for the legal papers that allowed these arrangements to happen. The PM told RN Breakfast he was getting another legal briefing today, and that “this morning I expect to receive more detail on how this occurred”.

ABC Melbourne is also reporting he will appear on that radio station at 8.30am, to answer more questions.

Josh Butler

Albanese attacks Morrison’s response that he doesn’t engage in ‘day-to-day politics’

Albanese claimed the actions of Scott Morrison had “called into question some of those decisions” made by the former government, as he awaits further legal briefings on the implications of Morrison’s secret ministry positions.

Albanese told RN breakfast that he was seeking advice from the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet on “a range of issues”, but declined to comment specifically on the Pep11 gas exploration project, which was rejected by the former Coalition government after Morrison reportedly took over that portfolio last year.

Albanese was also critical of Morrison’s response yesterday that he doesn’t engage in “day-to-day politics” and declining to give comment on the reports. Albanese pointed out that Morrison was still a member of parliament, representing his local electorate of Cook.

He said:

The idea the member for Cook says he doesn’t engage in day-to-day politics I find quite extraordinary.

Government to examine if ‘loopholes’ need to be closed, Albanese says

Josh Butler

Coming back to Anthony Albanese’s interview on ABC Radio.

The prime minister said people in government are searching for documents related to Scott Morrison being secretly sworn in to various ministry portfolios, but said he won’t speculate yet on what implications these unprecedented arrangements may have on legal decisions made by the former government.

Albanese told RN Breakfast he was “shocked” by the revelations and said he was “not going to pre-empt” what his department will tell him in further briefings this morning, but that the new government may examine whether any “loopholes” need to be closed to prevent this happening in future.

At numerous points in the interview, Albanese stopped short of criticising or endorsing the actions of the governor general David Hurley, who yesterday acknowledged that he had sworn Morrison into other portfolios during the Coalition government. Albanese said Hurley had acted on the advice of the former PM.

The governor general’s job is to take the advice of the government of the day. He did that… I don’t intend to pass judgement there.

It’s a matter for him, he acted upon advice … The questions I have are for the former government.

Reactions continue to come in after revelations the former prime minister Scott Morrison secretly swore himself in as joint minister for three portfolios.

As the prime minister Anthony Albanese continues to discuss the matter on ABC Radio, the Nationals leader David Littleproud appeared on ABC Breakfast News a little earlier saying Morrison needs to provide an explanation.

It is important that Mr Morrison gives an explanation, so that there’s clarity. There’s understanding. The institution of cabinet is a very important one, and part of the executive government of the democracy that we hold dear. And so it’s important that there is trust within that institution, particularly cabinet. And that’s why I think the best thing that could happen now is Mr Morrison gives an explanation and clarity around the decisions that he made around signing himself into the three portfolios.

When asked whether the former prime minister swore himself in as agriculture minister, Littleproud said: “I can’t tell you that, but I presume not. And I hope not.”

‘There may well be more’: Albanese on Morrison’s secret ministries

Josh Butler

“There may well be more” ministries that Scott Morrison had himself secretly sworn into, prime minister Anthony Albanese says, as he flags further disclosures on the unprecedented arrangements today.

Albanese said he got one legal briefing from his department yesterday, and will get another this morning, after reports Morrison was sworn in as minister for finance, health and resources through the pandemic. “I’ll be having more to say,” he told Radio National this morning.

Asked if there may be other ministries that Morrison was sworn into (as has been alluded to in some media reports), Albanese said: “There may well be more.”

Albanese not ruling out that Morrison may have appointed himself to other portfolios

Regional job focus ahead of skills summit

Regional employment will be on the agenda when groups meet for talks ahead of the government’s jobs and skills summit, AAP reports.

The regional affairs minister Catherine King will meet virtually with industries, unions and peak bodies today for the first of four roundtable discussions taking place before the summit.

The jobs and skills summit, set to take place over two days in September, will bring together 100 people from government, unions, businesses and civil society.

The roundtables will go on to inform the key talking points at the summit in Canberra.

Ways skilled workers could be encouraged to move to the regions, along with improving liveability and housing affordability, are set to be among the topics for discussions during the meeting.

King said she aimed to help build more productive workforces, particularly in regional communities where skill shortages exist.

We also want to create even more opportunities for Australians to get ahead and reach their aspirations, while bolstering incomes and living standards.

I’m committed to ensuring voices from right across these sectors are heard and represented to ensure we achieve these outcomes.

The prime minister, Anthony Albanese, has ordered for his department to seek legal advice over the former prime minister Scott Morrison’s decision to secretly appoint himself as minister of health, finance and resources at various times in office.

Keith Pitt, the former minister for resources, said he was unaware Morrison had joint oversight of his portfolio but on ABC Radio earlier this morning would only go so far to say it was “unusual”. He wouldn’t be pressed to say more because the matter is now before the court.

My colleagues Sarah Martin and Lisa Cox report:

Scott Morrison’s decision to use extraordinary ministerial powers to block the controversial Pep11 gas exploration licence off the coast of NSW is being challenged in the federal court, with the proponent accusing the former prime minister of “bias” that denied procedural fairness.

Federal court documents obtained by Guardian Australia also suggest that Morrison’s decision to block the permit renewal as the joint decision-maker came despite the National Offshore Petroleum Titles Administrator (Nopta) recommending in April 2020 that the exploration project’s licence be extended.

Pitt also accused Albanese of “playing politics” over the investigation into Morrison’s ministerial appointments. Albanese will be appearing on ABC Radio shortly after 7.30 and we will bring you his comments.

The former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull called the news sinister and appalling last night on ABC’s 7.30:

I’m astonished that Mr Morrison thought he could do it, astonished that prime minister and cabinet went along with it.

I’m even more astonished that the governor general was party it to. This is sinister stuff.

The Independent MP Helen Haines is also among those voicing their alarm. She said on ABC Breakfast News this morning that Australians “deserve an explanation” over what she says is an “astonishing set of circumstances.”

Let’s jump in!