Anthony Albanese has called on his predecessor Scott Morrison to apologise to parliament for secretly appointing himself to multiple ministries.
Mr Morrison is facing the prospect of being censured, following the release of a report into him secretly taking on five different ministerial portfolios.
Federal cabinet will meet on Monday to discuss implementing recommendations from former High Court judge Virginia Bell’s report, as well as whether to censure Mr Morrison in parliament.
While the prime minister said a decision on censure had not been made, he urged Mr Morrison to explain himself.
“The Australian population and our democracy requires … an apology for this,” he told reporters in Canberra on Sunday.
“I didn’t see any contrition in Scott Morrison’s statement last Friday, and I find it extraordinary that anyone can read the Bell inquiry and not be embarrassed if you’re the subject of it.”
Mr Morrison defended his actions in a social media post issued in the wake of the report’s release, saying he would not step down from parliament.
Mr Albanese said he had been contacted by multiple MPs, including those not in the government, who wanted parliament to make a statement on Mr Morrison’s conduct.
“It wasn’t possible to hold ministers to account because people didn’t know who the ministers were,” he said.
“I believe that the parliament is likely to want to express a view on that and we will have a discussion of it.”
All six recommendations from the report, including legislation requiring public notifications of the appointment of ministers, are likely to be adopted.
Workplace Relations Minister Tony Burke said while a decision on censure would rest with cabinet, Mr Morrison had undermined the principles of responsible government.
“If you’re not allowed to know who the ministers are when you’re directing questions, the whole concept collapses,” he told the ABC’s Insiders program on Sunday.
“What happened with what Scott Morrison did wasn’t simply a decision of him on this particular matter, it had been enabled by behaviour for years.”
Opposition workplace relations spokeswoman Michaelia Cash said she would wait and see what the government did on censuring Mr Morrison before deciding whether to back the proposal.
By Andrew Brown in Canberra
