Revelations that Australia's former prime minister secretly appointed himself to several ministerial posts during the Covid-19 pandemic have sparked a political firestorm, with his successor promising a rapid investigation.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese accused Scott Morrison of "tin-pot activity" after it emerged the former leader had made himself minister of health, finance and resources, among other positions, without informing colleagues, parliament or voters.
Describing Mr Morrison's actions as "extraordinary and unprecedented", Mr Albanese said he had sought legal advice from the solicitor-general and would be briefed later today. "This is a sort of tin-pot activity that we would ridicule if it was in a non-democratic country," Mr Albanese said. "Scott Morrison was running a shadow government" In some cases, Mr Morrison made himself a co-minister without telling the cabinet members he had already appointed to those positions.
The scandal has shone a light on the opaque nature of decision-making inside Australia's government - and raised questions about whether more stringent democratic safeguards are needed.