The Hon. Scott Morrison MP. Source: Kristy Robinson / Commonwealth of Australia
Former Australian Prime Minster Scott Morrison has been censured this morning in relation to the secret ministerial appointments he held while Prime Minister.
Morrison has become the first ex-Prime Minister in Australian history to be censured by parliament.
Scott Morrison was censured for his controversial decision to secretly appoint himself as the joint minister for health; joint minister for finance; joint minister for industry, science, energy, and resources; joint minister for home affairs, and joint minister for treasury.
The former Prime Minister defended his choice to appoint himself as joint minister for the multiple portfolios after the public was made aware of his decision.
“As prime minister I considered it necessary to put in place safeguards, redundancies and contingencies to ensure the continuity and effective operation of government during this crisis period, which extended for the full period of my term.” Mr Morrison said.
“The risk of ministers becoming incapacitated, sick, hospitalised, incapable of doing their work at a critical hour or even fatality was very real.”
He mirrored a similar sentiment today by telling the house of representative “I am proud of my achievements in this place, and I am proud of my government,” and that “my government stood up and faced the abyss of uncertainty that our country looked into and the coercion of a region and saw Australia through the storm.”
He also says he has “no intention now of submitting to the political intimidation of this government, using its numbers in this place to impose its retribution on a political opponent.”
The outcome of the censure motion was 86 votes for and 50 against.
The votes for primarily consisted of members of the Australian Labor Party.
Others who voted for included: members for the Greens: independents — including those elected in the teal wave; and one liberal member.
