Key events
More on the governor general’s diaries, from AAP:
Governor general David Hurley’s diary makes no mention of the five times he handed extra ministerial powers to then-prime minister Scott Morrison.
Morrison took on the health, finance, treasury, home affairs, industry, science, energy and resources portfolios between March 2020 and May 2021.
He has faced heavy criticism for taking on the portfolios, in most cases without his colleagues’ knowledge, and some inside the Liberal party have called on him to resign.
But Morrison’s actions have also drawn in the governor general, who signed off on the appointments.
Constitutional experts doubt Hurley’s or Morrison’s actions were illegal but have criticised the breach of convention.
Some inside Labor are mulling whether Hurley needs to go, while Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has kept the focus on his predecessor.
The Governor General’s Program lists in detail the numerous activities of Mr Hurley, including phone calls, official events and luncheons.
Morrison was secretly appointed health minister on March 14, 2020, with the knowledge of then-health minister Greg Hunt.
This is not recorded in Hurley’s diaries. The day after though, he notes presenting the “Duke of Gloucester Sash” at the 2020 National Sheep Dog Trial Championships in Canberra.
Likewise on March 30, when Morrison was given power as finance minister, Hurley’s diaries don’t reference it.
However they do mention a series of phone calls Hurley had, including from a member of Australia’s national security laws watchdog.
On April 15, 2021, Morrison secretly co-opted powers of the industry, science, energy and resources portfolios.
He would later use this power to axe approval for a gas project off the coast of NSW, with the decision now before the courts due to the controversy.
Hurley’s diary doesn’t mention the appointment. He attended a meeting of the Federal Executive Council, a collection of commonwealth ministers who provide advice to the governor general.
Days later he spoke with the Queen.
The next month, on May 6, when Morrison took the treasury and home affairs ministries with Hurley’s approval, the governor general hosted some events before a dinner that night in Canberra.
Hurley’s office has defended his actions, saying he followed processes and “had no reason to believe” Mr Morrison’s appointments would not be communicated.
Greens question governor general’s ‘disturbing pattern of non-disclosure’ over Morrison ministries
The Greens have questioned why the governor general, David Hurley, did not disclose the swearing-in of Scott Morrison to different portfolios, after annual reports show the office of the governor general has historically publicly disclosed details of the appointment and swearing-in of ministers.
Hurley has said, when asked about this matter this week, that it is for the government of the day to disclose ministerial appointments. A spokesperson said he “had no reason to believe that appointments would not be communicated”.
However, the Greens senator David Shoebridge said the governor general has a longstanding practice of making a daily report of his activities, which includes details as small as receiving phone calls and awarding a prize sash to a sheep dog and also lists the exercise of his constitutional duties in appointing ministers, and yet those diaries did not list the appointment of Morrison to various ministries.
Shoebridge said it was a “disturbing pattern of non-disclosure”.
A key question the governor general and former prime minister must answer is, was this repeated non-disclosure by the governor general part of a request or direction from Scott Morrison?
The governor general asserts that his office acts on the advice of the government. What advice did he receive from the former prime minister on diarising these appointments?
Why did the governor general not disclose any of these constitutional appointments as part of his ‘Constitutional Activities’ in either of the 2020 or 2021 annual reports? Again, was this at the express request of the prime minister?
Police call for witnesses to Canberra airport shooting
ACT police are looking for witnesses to events leading up to and during a shooting at Canberra’s airport last Sunday, AAP reports.
The alleged gunman, Ali Rachid Ammoun, 63, is in custody and has been charged with a series of firearm offences for the shooting on August 14.
No one was harmed when Ammoun allegedly shot his handgun at a window of the airport from inside the lobby, but the airport was evacuated and remained closed for about three hours.
ACT police have asked their NSW counterparts to call for witnesses as they believe there are still many people they are yet to speak to.
This includes anyone who witnessed any suspicious behaviour.
Ammoun’s case returns to court on 5 September. The NSW man is yet to enter a plea. He has been charged with discharging a firearm at a building, unlawful possession of a firearm and discharging a firearm near a person causing alarm.
Ammoun had not passed into the terminal and so had not been through security screening. Canberra Airport boss Stephen Byron said there were no plans to introduce further security.
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NSW records 34 deaths, 6,116 positive test results for Covid-19
New South Wales has recorded 34 deaths from Covid-19 on Saturday. There are currently 1,908 people in hospital with Covid and 56 in ICU.
There were 6,116 positive test results recorded – about half of which were from PCR tests and the other half from rapid antigen tests.
COVID-19 update – Saturday 20 August 2022
In the 24-hour reporting period to 4pm yesterday:
– 96.9% of people aged 16+ have had one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine*
– 95.4% of people aged 16+ have had two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine* pic.twitter.com/YFav2Pb2XO— NSW Health (@NSWHealth) August 19, 2022
Victoria records 30 deaths, 3,354 new cases of Covid-19
Victoria has recorded 30 deaths from Covid-19 in the past 24 hours, with 471 people in hospital, 30 in ICU, and 11 on ventilators.
There were 3,354 new cases reported on Saturday, only 941 of which were from PCR test results.
Peggy O’Neal to head Victorian 2026 Commonwealth Games committee
Peggy O’Neal, the first woman to be president of an AFL Football club, has been appointed to lead the Victorian 2026 Commonwealth Games committee.
O’Neal was made president of Richmond Football in 2013 and announced her departure in March this year. In a statement on Saturday, she said:
I love sport and what it means for communities across Victoria. I am delighted to be part of the Victoria 2026 Commonwealth Games and to work with the board, to ensure that the diverse voices in our state are heard as we make decisions throughout the delivery of the Games.
Another familiar face, Jeroen Weimar, is the CEO fo the Commonwealth Games organising committee. He said:
I am looking forward to working with Peggy and the board to deliver a fantastic Commonwealth Games across regional Victoria and we will be taking the next steps in the coming months to finalise the sporting program, village and venue locations.
The 2026 Commonwealth Games will be hosted by regional towns and cities throughout Victoria, including Bendigo, Geelong, Ballarat, and towns in Gippsland.
Victoria police seize 3D printed handguns
Police in Victoria have seized five 3D printed handguns, other firearms and parts, and a 3D printer in an investigation into alleged firearm trafficking and manufacturing in Melbourne’s south-east.
It follows the arrest of a 24-year-old man in Langwarrin in March, who was searched and allegedly found in possession of an imitation handgun. That led to the search of a factory in Carrum Downs in May, where police found two handguns including one that had been 3D printed, and then the search of a property at Cranbourne East on Thursday.
In a statement, detectives from the Frankston Crime Investigation Unit said they recovered five 3D printed handguns, one semi-automatic handgun, 3D printed firearm parts, ammunition and a 3D printer.
Senior sergeant Stephen Fyffe said:
We have dismantled a local firearms manufacturing enterprise this week and taken nine illicit firearms off the streets.
It is illegal to manufacture firearms without a licence, and that includes 3D printed guns … We’ve been monitoring the issue of 3D printed firearms for a number of years and there are serious repercussions associated with this kind of activity.
A 31-year-old man was arrested at the property and charged with manufacturing and trafficking firearms. He was remanded to appear in the local magistrates’ court on 12 September.
More on byelection in Northern Territory, via AAP:
A byelection will decide which of six candidates wins the prized Northern Territory parliamentary seat of Fannie Bay.
Saturday’s poll will provide a successor for Michael Gunner, who vacated the Darwin seat after also stepping down as the territory’s chief minister.
Labor’s Brent Potter has drawn the top spot on the ballot paper, with his main rival, Ben Hosking from the Country Liberal Party, in the sixth spot.
Potter is an army veteran and father of four who has most recently worked as a government adviser.
Hosking owns a small business and is a former police officer.
Three independents – George Mamouzellos, Raj Samson Rajwin, and Leah Potter – are also contesting the poll, along with Greens candidate Jonathan Parry.
About 5,400 people are enrolled to vote in Fannie Bay, with some of those choosing to vote early or cast a postal ballot.
The past three Fannie Bay MPs have served as the NT’s chief minister: Gunner, Marshall Perron and Clare Martin.
Good morning
The fallout from former prime minister Scott Morrison’s decision to appoint himself to five additional ministerial portfolios continues. Malcolm Farr writes on our front page this morning that Morrison’s explanation for his actions at that lengthy Wednesday press conference show the accumulation of new jobs “wasn’t about greater government efficiency. It was about Scott Morrison getting more power”.
The politician who last month told a Perth audience he and acquaintances “don’t trust in governments” has been a stark example of why trust has disappeared.
Even one of his staunchest supporters, the Australian’s Paul Kelly, writes this morning that Morrison’s actions caused “palpable” damage to the Liberal party.
Kelly writes:
The Liberals are supposed to be the party of principled government and respect for institutions. But Morrison embarked on an untenable and deceptive accumulation of power. Can you imagine Robert Menzies secretly commissioning himself into five extra portfolios without telling most of the ministers?
Meanwhile, voters in the Northern Territory electorate of Fannie Bay will go to the polls in a byelection to fill the seat vacated by former chief minister Michael Gunner, who resigned from parliament and the top job in May.
The Labor candidate, Brent Potter, has drawn top spot on the ballot paper, with his main rival, the Country Liberal party’s Ben Hosking, in sixth. It’s an important seat – the past three Fannie Bay MPs have all served as the NT’s chief minister. We’ll bring you the updates as the day unfolds.
Let’s crack on. If we miss something, you can reach me at @callapilla on twitter or at Calla.Wahlquist@theguardian.com
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