The Latest Breaking News from Scott Morrison

Thursday: two children imprisoned as adult people smugglers ask attorney general to intervene. Plus: would you watch a 24 hour VR epic set in a rainforest?

MORNING BRIEFING: Today, the parliamentary inquiry into the John Barilaro US trade job saga will hear evidence from two new witnesses.

The former PM explained the circumstances in which he appointed himself into five portfolios with contempt and parable

The former prime minister took on the health portfolio in secret in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, before appointing himself to four more ministries over the next year. Why did he do it and who knew?

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Former Senator Rex Patrick said General Hurley was "complicit" in the scandal.

He wants us to believe his portfolio pilfering was perfectly rational – but at the same time he admits colleagues couldn’t be told because they’d be shocked

Scott Morrison secretly gave himself several powers, and admits he used them in at least one instance. What were the jobs the former prime minister appointed himself to?

Federal parliament has been rocked by extraordinary revelations that Scott Morrison secretly assumed control of numerous ministries, including the resources portfolio, in the last term of government. The then prime minister went further and used his new powers to knock back a gas-drilling proposal off the New South Wales coast.