Scott Morrison has resisted calls to resign from the Federal Parliament as he defended his decision to secretly appoint himself to five portfolios during the pandemic.
Mr Morrison said there was a public and political expectation that the prime minister took responsibility for everything during the unprecedented crisis.
He denied he deceived his colleagues with the secret power-grab, claiming the fact he didn't use the powers - aside from on one occasion to kill-off an offshore gas exploration permit - proved that he trusted his fellow ministers.
He also described criticism of Governor-General David Hurley, who oversaw the secret appointments, as "egregious".
The former prime minister fronted the media just after midday on Wednesday amid growing calls for him to resign over the secret portfolio scandal.
The Cook MP's future in the Federal Parliament had been hanging in the balance after revelations he appointed himself to five portfolios during the pandemic, without telling the public or most of his colleagues.
Mr Morrison said the pandemic created an expectation from the public, and the then-Labor opposition, that the prime minister was singularly responsible for handling the crisis.
"I believed it was necessary to have authority to have what was effectively emergency powers ... to enable me to act in the national interest. and that is what I did in a crisis," he said.
Former home affairs minister Karen Andrews called on Mr Morrison to resign after accusing him of "betraying the trust" of the public with his secret power grab.
Opposition leader Peter Dutton, deputy Liberal leader Sussan Ley and former Nationals leader Barnaby Joyce have rejected suggestions that the former prime minister should quit.
Mr Morrison used a lengthy Facebook statement on Tuesday to apologise to his colleagues, but insisted the decisions were made in "good faith" and during a period of unprecedented uncertainty.
He insisted he only used his extra ministerial powers once - to override then-resources minister Keith Pitt to reject a gas exploration permit off the coast of NSW.
More to come
READ MORE ON THE MORRISON SCANDAL:
- 'I apologise': Morrison offers no excuse for 'good faith' secrecy
- 'Betrayal of trust': Karen Andrews tells Morrison to resign from parliament
- Albanese excuses public servants for not revealing Morrison's secret ministries
- Secret Morrison appointments coincided with major pandemic moments
- 'Stealth bulldozer': Scott Morrison held five secret portfolios
- 'Unprecedented trashing': What we know about the Morrison revelations
- 'Oversight': Morrison defends secret power grab as more ministries discovered
- Analysis: Bulldozing in secret, Scott Morrison trashes whatever legacy he had
- Explainer: What did Scott Morrison do and why does it matter?
Dan Jervis-Bardy
Dan covers federal politics from Parliament House, with a special focus on climate policy and the NDIS. He has previously reported on ACT politics and urban affairs since joining the Canberra Times in 2018.
Dan covers federal politics from Parliament House, with a special focus on climate policy and the NDIS. He has previously reported on ACT politics and urban affairs since joining the Canberra Times in 2018.
