Former home affairs minister Karen Andrews has confirmed Scott Morrison has now contacted her to apologise for appointing himself to jointly control her position in secret.
This morning Ms Andrews told Sky News Mr Morrison had not spoken to her, despite directly contacting former MP Josh Frydenberg and former senator Mathias Cormann to apologise to them directly.
Ms Andrews's team has since confirmed to the ABC that she has been contacted by Mr Morrison, after Opposition Leader Peter Dutton said Mr Morrison should pick up the phone.
Mr Morrison secretly appointed himself the power to administer five of his colleagues' ministries and kept most of them in the dark about his decision.
Ms Andrews this week called on him to quit parliament, labelling the power grab "disgraceful behaviour".
"He has his views and he has his way of managing things, I am fine," Ms Andrews said.
Ms Andrews said she accepted his broader apology to colleagues and wanted to move on.
"I can assure you I have not changed my view … [but] we've had the line drawn in the sand by Peter Dutton, he's made it clear that would not happen if he were to be elected as prime minister," she said.
"The line in the sand is there now and we need to focus on the future."
Mr Dutton said the former prime minister made the wrong call in taking those joint powers "and if he hasn't spoken to Karen then I believe he should".
Mr Dutton said if he had known about Mr Morrison's secret ministries, he would have advised the former prime minister against it.
"Scott obviously has done the wrong thing here, he's admitted that. It was the wrong thing to do and I can certainly understand why many of my colleagues are upset," he said.
Senior National says Morrison breached Coalition agreement
Mr Morrison again defended himself yesterday, saying no-one but him could understand the pressure he faced at the onset of the pandemic and that it had been expected of him to do all that he could to protect Australians.
Nationals Senate leader Bridget McKenzie told ABC Radio his explanation made no sense.
"I struggle to understand and appreciate the need to keep these appointments secret — it goes against everything that underpins our system of government, of transparency and accountability," Senator McKenzie said.
"There are many more questions that remain on the table."
She also accused Mr Morrison of violating the confidential agreement that underpins the Liberal and Nationals Coalition governing arrangements.
"These arrangements essentially breached the Coalition agreement," Senator McKenzie said.
"It showed complete disrespect for the second party of government, the National Party."
"Our Coalition arrangements are a negotiated outcome and they include a ratio of cabinet portfolios … by essentially removing the authority of one of those ministers and giving it to a Liberal minister without that minister's knowledge, essentially breached the Coalition agreement."
