Federal Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus has issued a blunt warning to former prime minister Scott Morrison, reminding him that cabinet and national security meetings from his time in power should remain confidential.
Mr Dreyfus wrote to Mr Morrison, expressing his concern at details that appeared in a book detailing the former prime minister's handling of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The book was published after the election and contained information about Mr Morrison being secretly sworn into ministries.
“I understand that the authors were informed by interviews conducted contemporaneously over the 2020-22 period, including deliberations of the National Security Committee (NSC) of Cabinet,” Mr Dreyfus wrote in his letter.
“As you are well aware, the publication is granular in its description of cabinet and cabinet committee deliberations.”
Mr Dreyfus's letter to Mr Morrison was dated November 7, 2022, and tabled in a Senate estimates hearing on the same day.
He cited references to "secret intelligence briefings" from the Office of National Intelligence that appeared in the book were likely to breach intelligence and security agency confidentiality.
“I trust there will be no further disclosure from your period in government that undermine national security and the integrity of the cabinet process," Mr Dreyfus wrote.
Last month, a senior public servant suggested Mr Morrison might have breached the principles of cabinet confidence when briefing journalists during the COVID-19 pandemic. The department ultimately didn't pursue the matter further.
In August, Mr Morrison defended the secret ministerial appointments to treasury, home affairs, finance, health and resources, explaining that it was done to establish a back-up to other ministers at the high of the pandemic.
"We were dealing with an incredible amount of discretion and money being paid," Mr Morrison said.
In August, Mr Albanese commissioned former High Court justice Virginia Bell to lead an inquiry into Mr Morrison's secret ministries.
The inquiry will examine how the appointments were made and the implications arising from them.
It will also make recommendations on any changes to provide greater transparency and accountability to ensure secret appointments cannot happen again.
The government is expected to receive Ms Bell's report in late November.
Before calling that inquiry, Mr Albanese received legal advice from the nation's second law officer on the secret appointments.
Solicitor-General Stephen Donaghue found Mr Morrison was validly appointed to the resources portfolio but not notifying ministers, parliament or the public "fundamentally undermined" the principles of responsible government.
