Every time Scott Morrison assumed another ministry, the process was very simple: his staff sent a single sentence to the governor-general, who signed it and sent it back. | katinacurtis auspol
gives the health minister – and, crucially, the health minister alone – the power to order anyone to do anything the minister thinks is necessary to prevent a disease entering Australia or to stop its spread. It’s an offence not to comply.
Morrison, Hunt and Porter designed a lengthy protocol that would ensure if Hunt were to invoke the Biosecurity Act, he had to provide written medical advice and tell cabinet’s national security committee and the chief medical officer ahead of time. The move was discussed at the special COVID national security committee of about half a dozen ministers.. This gave Morrison the power to administer all legislation that came under the Health Department’s remit.
“I think there was a great risk that in the midst of that crisis those powers could be misinterpreted and misunderstood,” he said. Several former ministers, including Michael McCormack who was deputy prime minister at the time, have said this week they were aware of Morrison taking on the health responsibilities.
Neither Josh Frydenberg nor Karen Andrews knew that on May 6, 2021, the governor-general gave Morrison responsibility for their departments of Treasury and Home Affairs, respectively.Morrison said on Wednesday that once it became clear the pandemic was continuing, “we took the precaution” to put back-up “in these other important portfolios where there were unilateral decision-making powers of ministers that were not subject to cabinet”.
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