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Dreyfus asks Morrison to not release further cabinet deliberations
Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus KC has written to the former prime minister, Scott Morrison, to request that he refrain from making additional disclosures from his time in government, as further apparent disclosures could “undermine national security and the integrity of the cabinet process”.
Jerome Doraisamy
In a letter, dated earlier today (7 November 2022), A-G Dreyfus wrote to Mr Morrison — now a backbencher, representing the Sydney electorate of Cook — to express his concern over “apparent extensive disclosures” in the recently published book by two News Corp journalists, Simon Benson and Geoff Chambers.
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Mr Dreyfus wrote that he understands that the authors of the book — Plagued: Australia’s two years of hell — the inside story — were “informed by interviews conducted contemporaneously” between 2020 to 2022 and included deliberations of the national security committee of cabinet.
“As you are aware, the publication is granular in its description of cabinet and cabinet committee deliberations,” the A-G wrote.
Mr Dreyfus identified numerous disclosures apparently made that, he wrote, were “made in contravention of the expectation of discretion” regarding sensitive cabinet discussions.
These included disclosures of a briefing on “planning on Chinese economic coercion”, the national security implications of COVID-19, and references to a “secret intelligence briefing”. This latter disclosure, the A-G noted, “would appear to be contrary” to the confidentiality of information from the intelligence and security agencies.
Disclosure of cabinet discussions and deliberations, Mr Dreyfus concluded, “undermine cabinet confidentiality and solidarity”.
“I trust there will be no further disclosures from your period in government that undermine national security and the integrity of the cabinet process,” he wrote.
In August, the Solicitor-General’s advice on the appointment of former prime minister Scott Morrison to the industry ministry was released, finding that appointment was not in line with the conventions and practices of responsible government and offering solutions to prevent such a reoccurrence.
