Scott Morrison ‘shocked’ minister by secretly swearing himself into cabinet portfolio
Barnaby Joyce has ripped former prime minister Scott Morrison over a secret move that “shocked” one of his own cabinet ministers.
EXCLUSIVE
Scott Morrison secretly swore himself in as resources minister and ultimately used the power to roll his own frontbencher, Keith Pitt, over a plan to drill for gas off the New South Wales coast.
In an extraordinary revelation, former deputy prime minister Barnaby Joyce has confirmed that Mr Pitt, then the resources minister, was “shocked” to learn in December of 2021 that Mr Morrison had been secretly sworn in as a second minister in his own portfolio.
The prime minister then used those powers to take steps to kill a controversial project off the NSW coast, where blue-ribbon seats were under threat from teal independents.
Mr Joyce told news.com.au that he only learned of the arrangement after what happened to Mr Pitt.
Mr Pitt has told colleagues he was kept in the dark and shocked to learn of the prime minister’s secret powers during discussions with him and his office in late 2021 over the controversial oil and gas project.
He was so concerned that he asked for the executive order outlining how two ministers could be sworn into the portfolio, only to discover it did not exist.
Coalition sources have told news.com.au Mr Pitt then complained to the deputy prime minister, Michael McCormack, but was told “he’s the prime minister”.
Multiple former cabinet ministers have told news.com.au they either didn’t understand why it had been done or objected to it.
“The problem with Scott is he had this grandiose view of himself,” one former minister said.
