Page:In the Matter of the Validity of the Appointment of Mr Morrison to Administer the Department of Industry, Science, Energy and Resources – Opinion.pdf/3

 6. Media reporting suggests that the Hon Keith Pitt MP, who administered DISER concurrently with Mr Morrison, was unaware of the above appointment for a period of some months. It also suggests that the Cabinet as a whole, the Parliament and the public were not aware of the appointment until about one week ago.

7. At various times between March 2020 and May 2021, Mr Morrison was also appointed by the Governor-General to administer four other departments. Those appointments likewise were not made public and, in some cases, apparently, were not known to the Ministers who administered the relevant departments concurrently with Mr Morrison or to the Secretaries of those departments. I have not been asked to express any opinion in respect of those appointments.

8. The question upon which my advice is sought, and my short answer to it, is as follows: