AUSTRALIA. Sydney: Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said on Sunday that his administration might think about creating an inquiry board into Scott Morrison’s unauthorised access to important ministries during the COVID-19 pandemic.
News emerged this week that Morrison, who was defeated in a general election in May and thereafter stepped down as leader of the Liberal party, was embroiled in an unethical attempt that involved him in five key ministries during the pandemic, positions of power that gave him immense unprecedented authority.
While the move has been under harsh criticism by both the Australian Labour Party and his own party for that matter, Morrison defended his past actions by saying that he felt an urgent need to protect the nation as a sole leader during a time of dire crisis.
On Sunday, Albanese announced that the present government would receive crucial advice on Monday from the Solicitor General, the country’s second-highest law officer, on the legality and legitimacy of Morrison’s actions.
Furthermore, Albanese assured that the government was considering an investigation into the matter as well as implementing appropriate norms and reforms to ensure that such actions did not occur in the future.
The present PM spoke to Sky News television and said, “We’ll examine all those issues after we receive the Solicitor General’s advice. I am running a proper cabinet government that has proper processes, and we’ll give full consideration to it”.
However, while the government would receive the Solicitor General’s advice on legal issues, other issues needed to be investigated. “There are separate questions about the functioning of our democracy, about conventions and whether any conventions have been overturned, and whether there’s a need for any reforms required to ensure that something like this can never happen again,” the prime minister said.
Albanese has previously confronted Morrison for debilitating the Westminster system of government by appointing himself to high positions of authority, including home affairs, treasury, health, finance, and resources between 2020 and 2021.
Morrison has apparently denied all these grave allegations and assured that he did not secretly swear into any ministry, except on one occasion, where he turned down a resources project.
Also Read: Australia’s PM Claims That His Predecessor’s Covert Roles “Undermined Democracy”
