Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will receive the findings from a three-month inquiry led by former High Court justice Virginia Bell into the controversial revelations that surfaced in August.
Ahead of its release, Josh Frydenberg – who was one of five ministers in the former Morrison government who had their portfolio co-opted during the height of the pandemic by the then-prime minister – has spoken out.
The former treasurer told The Sydney Morning Herald today Morrison’s actions were “extreme overreach”, saying he had been loyal to a fault to his prime minister.
The revelations in August came as a surprise to many of Morrison’s former colleagues, including Frydenberg, who lost his seat in the May federal election.
Three former Liberal prime ministers – John Howard, Tony Abbott and Malcolm Turnbull – all expressed their concern over Morrison’s actions.
But Frydenberg has remained largely silent until today.
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In August, Solicitor-General Stephen Donaghue found Morrison was within his legal boundaries by appointing himself to various portfolios, but keeping it secret “fundamentally undermined” the principles of a responsible government.
But the former prime minister has maintained he did nothing wrong and was acting in the interest of the country during the COVID-19 crisis.
“Given the serious crises facing Australia, I considered it prudent to put these authorities in place should they be necessary as a safeguard,” Morrison said in a statement released in August.
The sisters who sparked a revolution
