Anthony Albanese has revealed former prime minister Scott Morrison appointed himself to five portfolios.

It has been reported that Mr Morrison secretly took joint control of three cabinet roles during the pandemic: health, finance and resources.

But now, Mr Albanese says the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet has confirmed Mr Morrison was also appointed the portfolios of Home Affairs and Treasury between March 2020 and May 2021.

“It is completely extraordinary that these appointments were kept secret from the Australian people,” the Prime Minister said.

“Turns out he was the world’s first stealth bulldozer.”

#LIVE: Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is speaking after it was revealed Scott Morrison secretly appointed himself to extra portfolios. #9News https://t.co/HzF35ZD3Gc

— 9News Australia (@9NewsAUS) August 16, 2022

Karen Andrews joined calls for Mr Morrison to resign, saying she had no knowledge of his appointment to the home affairs portfolio, which she held at the time.

“That is unacceptable,” she said. “I did not know.

“When it was all unfolding over the last 24 hours I wondered if Home Affairs would come up for no reason other than he had launched himself into a range of portfolios.

“I had nothing from him, nothing from PMO, no knowledge.”

While Karen Andrews isn’t the only Coalition MP calling for Mr Morrison to give up his seat in parliament, it certainly isn’t shared by the entire party.

Liberal leader Peter Dutton stressed in a press conference that the former prime minister’s decisions were made in a “warlike situation”.

“I was sent to hospital, and people were in ventilators, and people were dying at that stage and that’s the context in which [he] made some of those decisions.

“As he explained this morning, I wasn’t aware, … I wasn’t there for decision-making in that regard and I think he’s made statements this morning that you can reflect on.”

RELATED

‘A lot going on’: Scott Morrison’s lengthy secret portfolio defence

Image: Nine News