Scott Morrison

Morrison was Social Services Minister when the budget proposal leading to Robodebt was prepared. In 2023, the Royal Commission found that he had allowed Cabinet to be misled by failing to make an obvious check on the need for legislative amendment and that he had failed in his ministerial responsibility.

Morrison had obtained the resources portfolio so that he could personally decide on the PEP-11 gas exploration permit off New South Wales. After publicly expressing opposition to the project, he refused the permit. In February 2023, the Federal Court set aside the decision by consent on the grounds of reasonable apprehension of bias.

Attribution

Political responsibility

In 2007, Michael Towke defeated Morrison by 82 votes to 8 in the first Liberal preselection for Cook, but was subsequently disendorsed following allegations of branch stacking and misleading information. Towke was later cleared of wrongdoing and Morrison won the new selection. In 2022, statutory declarations reported by several media outlets alleged that Morrison had encouraged preselectors not to support Towke because of his Lebanese background and perceived religious affiliation.

Attribution

Political responsibility

Under Morrison, Australia resisted calls to increase its climate ambition despite its heavy reliance on coal and gas and the political impact of Black Summer. In October 2021, the government adopted a net-zero 2050 target but officially retained its 2030 target of 26–28% below 2005 emissions.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Political responsibility

JobKeeper subsidised wages to prevent mass redundancies during the pandemic. Its design, initially based on a forecast decline in turnover without a general clawback mechanism, allowed businesses that performed better than expected to retain very substantial sums; Treasury cited approximately A$27 billion.

Attribution

Political responsibility

Brittany Higgins's disclosure of an alleged rape at Parliament House in 2019 triggered a crisis over political workplace culture. Morrison was criticised for the delay, tone and certain explanations in his response, before commissioning reviews and apologising.

Attribution

Political responsibility

Morrison had promised federal legislation against religious discrimination. The bill introduced in 2021 faced strong opposition over its interaction with exemptions for religious schools and protections for LGBTQ+ students. In February 2022, five Liberal MPs voted with the opposition to strengthen protections for students, and the government suspended the bill.

Attribution

Political responsibility

In late 2018, the Coalition announced plans for a Commonwealth Integrity Commission and allocated funding for a proposed launch in 2020. The proposal stalled and, during the 2022 campaign, Morrison declared that he would not change his model to secure parliamentary agreement, effectively reversing the promise to establish the body.

State of the evidence

Established

Attribution

Political responsibility

The secret announcement of AUKUS in September 2021 led to the cancellation of the conventional submarine programme with Naval Group. France temporarily recalled its ambassadors and Emmanuel Macron publicly stated that he knew Morrison had lied to him about the matter.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Political responsibility

The signing of a security agreement between the Solomon Islands and China, a few hundred kilometres from Australia, was described by Labor as Australia's worst foreign policy failure in the Pacific since the Second World War. Critics accused Morrison's government of failing to engage senior officials sufficiently despite earlier warnings.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Political responsibility

Between March 2020 and May 2021, Morrison had himself appointed to administer five additional departments alongside his responsibilities as Prime Minister, without general public disclosure or informing several ministers concerned. The Bell inquiry accepted legal advice that the appointments were constitutionally valid but found that their non-disclosure had fundamentally undermined responsible government and eroded public trust.

Attribution

Directly implicated

The ANAO found administration of the A$660 million National Commuter Car Park Fund ineffective: sites were identified through a process that was neither open nor transparent, and merit was not demonstrated. On 10 April 2019, Morrison authorised 27 sites worth approximately A$389 million through an exchange of letters, shortly before the pre-election caretaker period.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Political responsibility

Australia's vaccination programme experienced significant delays in the first half of 2021. Morrison's remark that the rollout was 'not a race' became emblematic of criticism over the lack of urgency. AstraZeneca recommendations and Pfizer supply problems also complicated the campaign.

State of the evidence

Admitted by the person

Attribution

Political responsibility

Four Corners documented the longstanding friendship between Morrison and Tim Stewart, a QAnon supporter whose own family had reported his extremism to authorities. Messages attributed to Stewart indicated that he hoped to have the expression 'ritual abuse' included in the national apology to victims of institutional sexual abuse; the expression appeared in the speech.

During the March4Justice protests against gender-based violence, Morrison offered to meet the organisers inside Parliament rather than come outside to see them. He subsequently stated that in Australia protesters could march freely whereas elsewhere such marches were 'met with bullets', presenting this as a triumph of democracy.

State of the evidence

Established

Attribution

Personally implicated

During a tense press conference about workplace culture and violence against women, Morrison responded to a journalist by claiming that News Corp itself had a harassment case to address. The company stated that the allegation was simply false, and the Prime Minister acknowledged having relied on incorrect information.

Attribution

Personally implicated

The ANAO concluded that the approximately A$100 million Community Sport Infrastructure Program had not been administered as a competitive, merit-based programme according to published criteria and that undisclosed political criteria had favoured marginal or targeted seats. The Prime Minister's office appeared in correspondence and representations concerning the programme.

State of the evidence

Documented

As the Black Summer bushfires intensified, Morrison went on a family holiday to Hawaii. His absence and initial communications provoked considerable public anger, particularly after volunteer firefighters died; he cut short his trip and apologised.

State of the evidence

Admitted by the person

Attribution

Personally implicated

During the 2019 state visit to the United States, media outlets reported that Morrison wanted Hillsong founder Brian Houston invited to White House events. Morrison dismissed questions as 'gossip' for months before acknowledging in March 2020 that Houston's name had been among those proposed by Australia.

State of the evidence

Established

Attribution

Personally implicated

Under Morrison, ten Save the Children employees were removed from the Nauru centre following reports that staff had encouraged self-harm or fabricated allegations of abuse. The Moss Review found no evidence substantiating these accusations and recommended reconsidering the decision.

Attribution

Political responsibility

As Immigration Minister, Morrison was one of the main architects of Operation Sovereign Borders, combining maritime turnbacks, operational secrecy and offshore processing. In September 2014, his office confirmed that 383 people aboard 12 boats had been turned back.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Political responsibility

As opposition immigration spokesperson, Morrison questioned public funding for asylum seekers' families to travel to Sydney for the funerals of victims of the Christmas Island shipwreck, suggesting that the ceremonies could have been held on the island.

State of the evidence

Established

Attribution

Personally implicated

Media outlets reported that Morrison had allegedly advocated, in shadow cabinet, capitalising on voters' concerns about Muslim immigration, Islam and integration. The story generated a lasting controversy over his political strategy towards Muslims.

Attribution

Political responsibility

As Tourism Australia's first managing director, Morrison approved the international 'So where the bloody hell are you?' campaign, costing approximately A$180–200 million. The slogan was restricted or censored in some markets, and the campaign's effectiveness was disputed. Morrison lost his position in 2006 before his contract expired.

State of the evidence

Established

Attribution

Directly implicated