Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus have set out the terms of reference for an inquiry into former prime minister Scott Morrison's secret appointments to various ministries.
Look back on Friday's updates with our blog.
Key events
- Opposition says Albanese is 'obsessed with the politics of the past'
- Albanese: 'I would urge people to cooperate with the inquiry'
- Will the inquiry include the governor-general's role?
- Inquiry 'absolutely necessary', Attorney-General says
- Virginia Bell will lead the inquiry into Scott Morrison's secret ministerial appointments
Live updates
By Jessica Riga
Stay up-to-date with the latest developments
This is where we'll have to leave our live coverage for today, but thanks for following along.
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You can check out the story below for more, or look back on our blog to see how today's events unfolded.
By Jessica Riga
Opposition says Albanese is 'obsessed with the politics of the past'
Deputy Opposition leader Sussan Ley says Anthony Albanese is obsessed with the politics from the past, after the prime minister announced the details of the inquiry into Scott Morrison.
"Australians need him to focus on the challenges of today," she says.
By Bridget Judd
Government has put head of inquiry in 'a very difficult spot', Greens Senator says
While welcoming the appointment of Virginia Bell, Greens Senator David Shoebridge says the government has put her in a "very difficult spot by refusing to give her the power to summons".
"Virginia Bell is an eminent person to chair the inquiry into Morrison, but the government has put her in a very difficult spot by refusing to give her the power to summons uncooperative witnesses or compel the production of documents," he wrote.
By Bridget Judd
Who is Virginia Bell?
As we heard a short time ago, the inquiry will be led by Virginia Bell, who Mr Albanese described as an "eminent individual with an extensive and diverse legal career".
Graduating from the University of Sydney in 1977, Ms Bell served as a solicitor with the Redfern Legal Centre for seven years.
- In 1984, she was admitted to the NSW Bar and in 1997, she was appointed a Senior Counsel.
- Between 1994 and 1997 she was a counsel assisting the Royal Commission into the New South Wales Police Service
- Justice Bell was appointed a judge of the Supreme Court of New South Wales in March 1999
Ms Bell was appointed to the High Court of Australia in 2009, when she was a judge of the NSW Court of Appeal.
By Bridget Judd
Here are the full terms of reference for the inquiry
You can find those documents right here.
At a glance, though, the inquiry will:
- 1.examine and report on the facts and circumstances surrounding the appointment of Mr Morrison to administer the Department of Health, the Department of Finance, the Department of Industry, Science and Energy and Resources, the Department of Home Affairs and the Department of the Treasury, in addition to the Department of the Prime Minister and the Cabinet
- 2.examine and report on the implications arising from the appointments, including on: the functioning of departments of state, Government Business Enterprises and statutory bodies; the structure of the Ministry; the accountability of the executive to the Parliament; public confidence in government
- 3.examine and report on the practices and processes which apply to: the appointment of ministers to administer departments of state under section 64 of the Constitution; and directions that ministers hold certain offices under section 65 of the Constitution
- 4.recommend any procedural or legislative changes which would provide greater transparency and accountability.
By Bridget Judd
Missed the press conference? Here are the main takeaways
The PM has laid out the terms of an inquiry into Scott Morrison's secret self-appointment to administer several ministries during the pandemic.
Here's a bit of what we just heard:
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Former High Court justice Virginia Bell will lead the inquiry, which will examine how the appointments were made and the implications arising from them
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The inquiry will make recommendations to government on any changes to provide greater transparency and accountability "to ensure this can never happen again"
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Ms Bell will report back to government by November 25.
By Bridget Judd
Albanese: 'I would urge people to cooperate with the inquiry'
Asked again if the inquiry can compel people to give evidence, including the former PM and his staff, Mr Albanese says it'll be conducted at "arms length" from the government.
"We have every confidence that people will cooperate with it. If there isn't cooperation, then there are other matters that can be considered in the future.
"But I would urge people to cooperate with the inquiry."
By Bridget Judd
Could this inquiry turn into a political witch-hunt?
That question was just put to the PM.
Mr Albanese says a range of former prime ministers have said that they would "not have done this action".
"[Virginia Bell] is someone far removed from politics, who is respected across the board. And we don't want to direct Virginia Bell into how she conducts the inquiry.
"It is something that is, I think, very positive, the fact that we have such an eminent person undertaking this inquiry, I think, means that it should be welcomed by all who hold our parliamentary system of democracy dear."
Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus says "great clarity" was given into the inquiry by three former Liberal prime ministers, citing John Howard, Tony Abbott and Malcoln Turnbull.
"All of them have condemned this conduct," he said.
"This is sinister stuff. This is secret government. This is one of the most appalling things I've ever heard in our federal government."
By Jessica Riga
Has Albanese spoken to Morrison about the inquiry?
"No," the Prime Minister says.
By Bridget Judd
Will Scott Morrison be compelled to attend the inquiry?
Without directly answering the question, Mr Albanese says Virginia Bell will request to speak to those who were involved in the appointments, or who had knowledge at the time.
"We chose not to go down the road of a royal commission. We think this gets the balance right. But I would find it extraordinary if anyone refused to talk to a former High Court judge who is, I think, beyond reproach.
"I'm certain that this appointment will be seen for what it is and that people will cooperate by giving information. Certainly, the public service will be required, and I don't think it will require compulsion.
"But if it was the case that Virginia Bell felt like she was not getting the cooperation that was required, then I'm certain that other measures could be considered."
By Jessica Riga
Will the inquiry include the governor-general's role?
"Well, the governor-general has made clear his actions were upon the advice of the government, and that's the focus of the inquiry," Albanese says.
"If you look at the terms of reference which are there, the governor-general, of course, has a particular place under our constitutional system."
By Bridget Judd
What are the terms of reference of the inquiry?
Mr Albanese says it won't be about politics, but instead how and why it occurred, and who knew about it.
"We need to have transparency in the process because our system of parliamentary democracy relies upon conventions, relies upon the Westminster system of checks and balances."
Mr Albanese says the inquiry will look at Mr Morrison's appointment to administer the departments of health, finance, industry, science, energy and resources, treasury, and home affairs.
It will also examine the implications arising from these appointments.
"For the functioning of departments, government business enterprises and statutory bodies, and for accountability and public confidence in our system of government.
"The terms of reference also require the inquiry to examine and report on practices and processes applying to ministerial appointments, including the public disclosure of these appointments."
The inquiry will make recommendations to the government on
any changes which could provide greater transparency and accountability to ensure that it can't occur again.
By Jessica Riga
Inquiry 'absolutely necessary', Attorney-General says
Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus says "this inquiry is one which is required."
"This inquiry is one which absolutely was made necessary by the solicitor-general's advice, which expressed in the clearest possible terms that what occurred here with Mr Morrison having himself appointed to five ministries was contrary to, inconsistent with, the conventions and practices of responsible government, which are critical to our constitutional democracy.
"We need to make sure that this can never happen again."
By Bridget Judd
Virginia Bell will lead the inquiry into Scott Morrison's secret ministerial appointments
Mr Albanese is speaking now.
He says the government has established an inquiry into Scott Morrison's secret ministerial appointments.
"The inquiry will be led by the Honourable Virginia Bell AC. Virginia Bell was appointed to the High Court of Australia in 2009 and served for 12 years.
"Virginia Bell is an eminent individual with an extensive and diverse legal career as a community lawyer, a barrister, a Law Reform commissioner, a Supreme Court, as well as Court of Appeal, judge, before assuming her high office in the High Court of Australia."
The PM says Ms Bell will provide her report by November 25.
