Australia’s Parliament on Wednesday passed a motion of censure against former Prime Minister Scott Morrison over the ministries case, becoming the first leader to be censured in the country.
The Australian Lower House passed the measure with 86 votes in favor and 50 against, most of them being members of Morrison’s opposition Coalition.
The motion of censure, which is the most serious declaration of disapproval by the Australian Parliament, is a symbolic act with no legal impact. Therefore, it has no consequences for Morrison as an MP, ABC reports.
Albanese, in his address to MPs, has indicated that the former prime minister «owes the Australian people an apology for undermining democracy.» «That is why this motion must be supported by all members of this House,» he said moments before the vote.
Likewise, the current head of government has indicated that «power must never be abused.» «There is no room for complacency. We have seen abroad, even with the assault on the Capitol in the United States, that we cannot take our democracy for granted», he added.
The former Australian prime minister’s secret appointments of up to five ministerial portfolios during the COVID-19 pandemic eroded public confidence, according to a report by former High Court of Australia Justice Virginia Bell.
Bell refuted Morrison’s claims that he granted himself the powers in response to the coronavirus, stating that the self-appointments to the Treasury, Home Affairs or Industry portfolios had «little or no connection to the pandemic.» In addition, Morrison appointed himself Minister of Health and Economy, while he attempted to assume the post of Environment.
