Morrison Ministries Scandal

Question 1

Trust in institutions

Answer 1

• 62% trust the Australian Electoral Commission.
• 54% trust the courts and the legal system.
• 50% trust the Federal Government (49% trust State/Council governments).
• 45% trust public servants.
• 44% trust Federal Parliament.
• 26% trust political parties.

Question 2

Public concerns

Answer 2

• 75% of Australians dissatisfied with democracy are concerned about the checks to ensure politicians can’t abuse their power.
• 76% of all Australians report checks on the abuse of government power as important, but only 46% believe the government is doing a good job at achieving this.

Question 3

Democratic principle of accountability - parliament

Answer 3

• Parliaments (legislature) hold the government (executive - Prime Minister & Cabinet) to account.
• Government transparency and public access to necessary information are critical.
• Integrity in public office is essential to combat corruption.

Question 4

Democratic principle of accountability - Westminster system

Answer 4

• The Prime Minister must have the confidence of the House.
• Executive government is formed by those who command the support of the lower House of Parliament.

Question 5

Democratic principle of accountability - independent institutons

Answer 5

• Public service and judiciary support the rule of law and division of powers.
• Institutions like Royal Commissions and the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) investigate and report corrupt government conduct.

Question 6

Morrison Ministries Scandal (MMS) - context

Answer 6

• During the COVID-19 pandemic, Prime Minister Scott Morrison was secretly sworn in as Minister of five portfolios between March 2020 and May 2021.
• The affected departments were Health, Finance, Industry, Science, Energy and Resources, Home Affairs, and Treasury.

Question 7

MMS - secret appointments

Answer 7

• Most Cabinet Ministers were unaware of these appointments.
• Governor-General David Hurley signed Morrison in without the usual ceremony, acting on the Prime Minister’s directions.

Question 8

MMS - public response

Answer 8

• The secrecy surrounding these appointments undermined public confidence in government.
• Inquiry by former High Court Judge Virginia Bell recommended greater transparency and accountability in ministerial appointments.

Question 9

MMS - legality and implications

Answer 9

• The Solicitor-General’s report confirmed the actions were legal but inconsistent with responsible government principles.
• The scandal highlighted weaknesses in the integrity and transparency of the public service.

Question 10

Pep-11 - background

Answer 10

• The Pep-11 gas project involved exploration off the coast of New South Wales.
• Initially approved by Resources Minister Keith Pitt, but controversial due to environmental concerns and political implications.

Question 11

Pep-11 - Morrison’s intervention

Answer 11

• Morrison used his secret ministerial powers to overturn Keith Pitt’s approval decision during the 2022 Federal Election campaign.
• The intervention was seen as politically motivated to protect Liberal seats threatened by Teal Independents and Labor.

Question 12

Pep-11 - project history

Answer 12

• First surveyed for oil and gas in 1981.
• License approved by NSW Labor Government in 1999.
• Joint authority required between NSW and Commonwealth for exploration licenses.
• In December 2020, the NSW Government withdrew support for the license.
• Morrison’s decision to not renew the license was announced in December 2021, after his secret appointment.