I am all & all is me...

Yesterday I was looking for something to blog about when I saw that the previous PM, Scott Morrison, had secretly taken on three departments without letting anyone else in this country know about it! I looked up other blogs and news articles. I found this picture on the Poll Bludger under the comments on “Roy Morgan, Morning Consult and JSCEM (open thread)”, dropped in there by the Dog's Brunch - and I loved it/hated it so much, but it showed, as "Wendy" had said, ScuMo had always thought "I am all & all is me". I hope - truly hope - that he has found his real position: in Hell's deep hole. Excellent time to find out his idiotic stuff! 

I went backwards to look at an ABC article dated 8 April 2022 which spoke about the Governor-General David Hurley who had personally lobbied ScuMo for funding for a "leadership program" which had only been set up last year. ScuMo gave it more than $18 million in the federal funding. Why did that happen? Labor did know about it - but they were, at that time, the opposition. Penny Wong questioned it. 

Very recently News.com.au said that "Scott Morrison breaks silence on secret ministry scandal as Anthony Albanese seeks legal advice", The Guardian told their readers that "Morrison took control of Keith Pitt’s portfolio to reject exploration licence in lead-up to election" and on 15 August The Guardian printed an article by Anne Twomey for The Conversation, and The Australian ($) wrote that "Scott Morrison was appointed by David Hurley to take control of the entire Department of Industry, Science, Energy and Resources" (no link because you have to subscribe to them - I don't). I have always had problems with how Morrison became a PM. Now I wonder if other LNPs standing for PM would have acted the same way. 

I have read that this over-extension is allegedly based on Section 64 of the Constitution. I looked it up. It says:

"64. Ministers of State

The Governor-General may appoint officers to administer such departments of State of the Commonwealth as the Governor-General in Council may establish.

Such officers shall hold office during the pleasure of the Governor-General. They shall be members of the Federal Executive Council, and shall be the Queen's Ministers of State for the Commonwealth.

Ministers to sit in Parliament

After the first general election no Minister of State shall hold office for a longer period than three months unless he is or becomes a senator or a member of the House of Representatives."

To me, this gave no approval for the Governor-General to do this for Morrison. Hurley did not establish the "departments". This did not apply to him, nor to Morrison.

I wait with a bated breath for whether or not this will be taken to court. I don't think it was relative to S.64. Is Hurley still GG? Happy to hear from others readers.