It’s been an embarrassing morning in parliament for Scott Morrison, as a censure motion was moved against him.
Morrison has been in hot water following revelations he had appointed himself to the treasury, home affairs and industry, science, energy and resources portfolios.
It’s the first time a former Prime Minister has been formally condemned by the House of Representatives.
Tony Burke, Employment and Workplace Relations Minister, labelled Morrison’s conduct undemocratic.
“At the start of Question Time each day, when a minister is not present, every prime minister has an obligation to allow the house to know who answers questions on their behalf."
"And yet at those exact moments the former Prime Minister never once said that he in fact was sworn into different portfolios and could answer those questions as well.”
Morrison was seen in his seat looking down, as the motion was read.
However, when given the chance to respond, the former Prime Minister said he was proud of himself, and his government’s actions.
“I have 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.”
Morrison, the Federal MP for Cook, said the appointments were to ensure stability for the government.
“I note again, that our nation faced the greatest challenges we had experienced since the Second World War, drought, natural disasters, a global pandemic, the global and domestic recession, the pandemic and a rising and assertive China seeking to coerce Australia into submission."
“These were extremely challenging times,” he said.
In a review released last week, it was recommended that the Australian Parliament makes all ministerial appointments public.
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