SBS News in Easy English
Anthony Albanese has confirmed his predecessor was secretly sworn into five additional portfolios, on top of his role as Prime Minister.
Between March 2020 and May 2021, Scott Morrison held the health, finance, home affairs, treasury, and energy and resources portfolios.
On Monday the Governor General confirmed he'd sworn Mr Morrison into several portfolios, and it was in line with the constitution.
Prime Minister Albanese is accusing the previous government of operating in secret and misleading Parliament.
"Our democracy is precious, we should be very proud of the democracy system we have created here in Australia but the Westminster system relies upon checks and balances, the former government, Scott Morrison and others involved in this deliberately undermined those checks and balances that are so important and essential for our democracy."
Scott Morrison has defended his actions, telling Sydney's 2-G-B Radio that extra measures were taken at the time only as a safety precaution.
"They are very complex detailed issues in governance . There are specific reponsibilities given to Ministers which are separate to cabinet. There are quite extraordinary powers being used. As PM I put steps in place."
A statue of a former Tasmanian premier who mutilated he body of an Aboriginal man will be removed by the Hobart City Council.
William Crowther who stole a skull and was suspended from the Hobart General hospital, also briefly became the state's premier.
But on Monday night, the council decided it'll take down the figure from the capital city centre after years of campaigning from First Nations groups.
South Australian police have arrested a woman for allegedly stabbing her two children with a knife on a motorway at Wingfield.
Police allege the 35-year-old woman stopped her car and attacked the children before being detained by passing motorists,.
The two children suffered critical injuries and are in a stable condition in hospital, while the accused is expected to be charged with attempted murder.
Superintendent Selena Dinning has thanked those who intervened, saying the incident could have been much worse if they had not.
"A member of the public stopped his car on the motorway and intervened, disarming the woman. Soon after he was assisted by other members of the public who restrained the woman until police arrived."
Victoria is to establish a new independent ombudsman to oversee treaty making between the state government and Aboriginal and Torrest Strait Islander people.
The body will be given legal powers to oversee treaty talks and resolve any disputes between the state government and First Peoples' Assembly of Victoria.
During debate in the state's parliament here are MPs Matthew Bach followed by MP Nina Taylor.
Bach: "My hope is that there wil be real ongoing engagement with members of the First nations assembly and other Indigenous leaders to deal with some of the appalling injustuces today."
Taylor: "Treaty is unfinished business. It is an opportunity to come to terms with our past and work together for a shared future. I am getting emotional again."
And the Queensland government has announced it will establish a truth telling inquiry and a First Nations Treaty Institute through draft legislation.
The state's Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk says the treaty is a chance to right past wrongs and a community cabinet will be held in September to hear directly from the public.
