Legal advice about Scott Morrison's secret ministries has been released. Here's what it found

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Legal advice about Scott Morrison's secret ministries has been released. Here's what it found
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In a 29-page document, the solicitor-general detailed why Scott Morrison's secret positions didn't break the law, but did break with constitutional convention.

, finding former prime minister Scott Morrison did not break any laws by secretly swearing himself into five other ministries.

Mr Morrison’s actions in this portfolio came under increased scrutiny because the former prime minister used his powers to veto a controversial gas proposal. According to Professor George Williams, a legal expert from UNSW, that finding is “unsurprising” because there are actually few laws directly concerning ministerial appointments - or a legal requirement for them to be made public.“So long as the governor-general makes the appointment, there's no requirement to publicise the fact that has occurred or even to follow another process,” he told SBS News.

“Indeed, responsible government has been recognised as a “central feature of the Australian constitutional system. In Paragraph 46, the implications of that are laid out, with the solicitor-general noting whether or not Mr Morrison used his powers is irrelevant.

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