A defiant Scott Morrison has refused to resign and demanded privacy for his wife Jenny and their daughters after it emerged he took on five secret ministerial jobs during the pandemic.
The former Prime Minister has provoked widespread outrage for covertly giving himself the powers to act as health minister, finance minister, resources minister, home affairs minister and treasurer in 2020 and 2021.
In a fiery press conference in Sydney on Wednesday, Mr Morrison insisted Australians wouldn’t understand why he took over the portfolios because they had never been Prime Minister – arguing that he was blamed for ‘every drop of rain’ during the pandemic.
Mr Morrison was asked why he had deceived the Australian people and his closest colleagues.
‘I don’t share that view,’ he replied calmly.
Scott Morrison has defended his decision to swear himself in to five portfolios
Mr Morrison also asked for privacy for his family after camera crews parked outside his south Sydney home on Tuesday.
‘Members of my family have nothing to do with this,’ he said.
‘I would ask that you not invade the privacy of my family. I don’t think that’s an unreasonable request.’
Mr Morrison said the fact that neither ex treasurer Josh Frydenberg nor ex home affairs minister Karen Andrews knew he was sharing their portfolios was ‘proof’ that he did not intervene in those areas.
‘The non-exercising of these powers proves that they were handled responsibly, that they were not abused, that they were there in a reserve capacity to ensure the Prime Minister could act if that was necessary,’ he said.
Mr Morrison said he kept his moves secret from his ministers so as not to distract them from doing their jobs.
‘I didn’t disclose it to them because I didn’t think it was for the best operation of the government during a crisis for which I am responsible,’ he said.
Facing interjections from Sky News reporter Andrew Clennell, Mr Morrison hit back: ‘Andrew, you mightn’t understand it because you haven’t been a Prime Minister in the middle of a worst crisis since the second world war.’
‘You’re standing on the shore after the fact. I was steering the ship in the middle of the tempest,’ he said.
These are the documents that the governor-general signed to give Mr Morrison more powers
Outgoing Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison hugs his daughters Lilly and Abbey as he concedes defeat after the 2022 federal election
The former Prime Minister has dismissed calls for him to resign as MP for Cook and apologised to the ministers he offended by trampling on their authority.
‘I apologise for any concern this has caused about those issues and I understand that concern and that’s why I’m standing here today.’
He said he felt compelled to take on extra powers because he was getting blamed for everything that went wrong in Australia.
‘There was a clear expectation established in the public’s mind, certainly in the media’s mind, and absolutely certainly in the mind of the Opposition… that I, as prime minister, was responsible pretty much for every single thing that was going on.
‘Every drop of rain, every strain of the virus, everything that occurred over that period of time,’ he said.
Anthony Albanese said Mr Morrison’s move ‘trashed our democracy’ and has launched an investigation to find out if any laws were broken.
Treasurer Jim Chalmers said Mr Morrison was guilty of ‘dictatorial behaviour’.
The issue has divided the Liberal party, with Tony Abbott, Peta Credlin, Malcolm Turnbull and shadow home affairs minister Karen Andrews lining up to blast Mr Morrison.
Opposition leader Peter Dutton said he was not aware of the decisions but would not be calling for Mr Morrison to resign.
He said it was time for ‘cooler heads to prevail’ before downplaying the issue by saying: ‘The number one issue people are raising is cost of living.’
Some of the documents that the governor-general signed to give Mr Morrison more powers
Speaking in Canberra on Tuesday, Mr Albanese said his predecessor made a mockery of Australia’s Westminster system of government which is designed to ensure power does not reside with one person.
‘This has been government by deception,’ he said after receiving a briefing from the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet.
‘Scott Morrison, and others who were involved in this, deliberately undermined those checks and balances that are so important and essential for our democracy.’
Mr Albanese does not believe Mr Morrison was paid extra for the roles.
Mr Morrison has set up a new company called Triginta Pty Ltd and appointed himself director. Triginta means 30 in Latin and Mr Morrison was the 30th Prime Minister.