Former prime minister Scott Morrison has defended the governor-general's role in assisting him to secretly appoint himself to five ministerial portfolios.
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Criticisms of Governor-General David Hurley are egregious, Mr Morrison said.
"The governor-general took the advice of the day from the government and acted accordingly," he told reporters in Sydney on Wednesday.
"The governor-general acted with absolute propriety and did everything that was expected of him in these arrangements, and he would have (also) taken the necessary advice from his own office."
Mr Morrison was appointed to the health, finance, resources, home affairs and treasury portfolios in 2020 and 2021 without informing his cabinet or the Australian public.
The administrative appointments were made between his department of prime minister and cabinet and the governor-general's office, Mr Morrison said.
"There was no swearing-in ceremonies, that is the point. These things were done administratively," he said.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said he too would not undertake any criticism of the governor-general.
"The government of the day has to accept responsibility for this and the people who were involved in it directly have to accept responsibility," he told reporters in Brisbane on Wednesday.
"Our democracy is precious (and) we need to defend it and strengthen it, not undermine it which is what the former government has done."
Sitting parliamentarians, though, are questioning Mr Hurley's role in the secretive process.
Independent senator Jacqui Lambie has called on the governor-general to explain the legal advice he received in order to appoint Mr Morrison to the additional portfolios.
"(Mr Hurley) needs to come out and tell us where he got his advice from, he's going to have to run through and explain it," Senator Lambie told ABC Radio National on Wednesday.
"If there's been no legal breach here, then obviously he's done nothing wrong."
The solicitor-general is preparing advice, which will be handed over on Monday to Mr Albanese, on the legality of the appointments.
"As long as it's been legally done correctly then the governor-general will survive another day," Senator Lambie said.
Meanwhile, Labor backbencher Julian Hill suggested Mr Hurley's position could be untenable and called on him to explain the part he played in the appointments.
"The governor-general seems to have effectively participated in a scheme that misled the cabinet, the parliament and the public as to the allocation of ministerial power," he told Nine newspapers.
Earlier this week, a spokesperson for the governor-general said Mr Hurley followed processes consistent with the constitution when he appointed Mr Morrison to the portfolios, upon government advice.
"It is not uncommon for ministers to be appointed to administer departments other than their portfolio responsibility," the official said.
"These appointments do not require a swearing-in ceremony. The governor-general signs an administrative instrument on the advice of the prime minister."
Australian Associated Press
