Received

Governor-General David Hurley says he had no reason to believe the decision by former prime minister Scott Morrison to swear himself into multiple ministries wouldn't be publicly announced.

In a statement, a spokesman for the governor-general said Mr Morrison's decision to keep the five ministerial appointments secret was a matter for the previous government.

It comes as Mr Morrison resisted calls to resign from parliament following revelations he appointed himself to the finance, treasury, health, home affairs and resources portfolios between March 2020 and May 2021.

The spokesman said it was not Mr Hurley's responsibility to advise of the changes to the ministry.

"The governor-general had no reason to believe that appointments would not be communicated," the spokesman said.

"Any questions around secrecy after the governor-general had acted on the advice of the government of the day are a matter for the previous government."

However, the governor-general's spokesman said Mr Hurley had acted consistently on the advice of the government of the day and in line with protocols.

"The governor-general is content for the process that the prime minister has put in place to be completed and will not comment further," he said.

"The governor-general signs an instrument to act on the advice of the government of the day. The Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet is responsible for that process (to appoint a minister)."

One of Mr Morrison's decisions as resources minister - in relation to the PEP-11 gas project off the NSW coast - is before the Federal Court.

The solicitor-general is preparing advice for Mr Albanese, to be delivered on Monday, on whether there are other legal issues at play relating to Mr Morrison's actions.

Mr Morrison defended his actions, saying the move was for an emergency scenario when he would need to act in the national interest.

"It was a very extraordinary time that tested every sinew and fabric of government ... (and) Australian society," he told reporters in Sydney on Wednesday.

"We took decisions - I did as a prime minister, we did as a cabinet - at federal and state level that some of us would never have dreamed we would ever have to make."

Mr Morrison added the lawful move, based on advice from his department, wasn't a power grab.

He said he never used the powers or overruled ministers, apart from the resources portfolio decision.

"As prime minister, only I could really understand the weight of responsibility that was on my shoulders," he said.

"The non-exercising of these powers proves that they were handled responsibly, that they were not abused, that they were there in a reserve capacity to ensure the prime minister could act if that was necessary."

Mr Morrison says he kept the powers a secret to not "undermine the confidence of ministers".

"To best of my recollection ... I didn't exercise any override of any of the ministers in any of their agencies except for (PEP-11)."

One of Mr Morrison's former ministerial colleagues, Karen Andrews - who was unaware she was being shadowed in her role by the Liberal leader - has called on him to quit parliament.

Mr Morrison has apologised to his colleagues for keeping them in the dark.

A number of crossbenchers have flagged referring Mr Morrison to parliamentary committees.

He said he was happy to cooperate with any "genuine or positive process" that examined the government's pandemic response.

Labor is considering ways to make ministerial appointments more transparent.

Opposition Leader Peter Dutton says he will work with the government to ensure "checks and balances are put in place to make sure it can't happen again".

Mr Albanese called on the former prime minister to apologise to the Australian people for "a trashing of our democratic system", saying democracy cannot be taken for granted.

"Democracy is in retreat worldwide. There's people fighting now in Ukraine to protect democracy ... you have a rise of undemocratic regimes. Our democracy is precious, we need to defend it and strengthen it, not undermine it," he told reporters in Brisbane.

"(It's) a clear misleading of the parliament, whereby parliamentarians and ministers are held to account for areas in which they have responsibility."

© AAP 2022

Health unions in Tasmania say the state government's $2000 cash bonus offer for frontline workers is confusing and needs clarification.

The Liberal government has offered the one-off allowance to Tasmanian Health Service and Ambulance Tasmania staff along with others in the sector amid industrial action and wages negotiations.

Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation (ANMF) members have walked off the job at several of the state's major public hospitals in recent weeks in their battle for improved pay and conditions.

The Health and Community Services Union (HACSU) held a stop work meeting on Wednesday, while Ambulance Tasmania workers have flagged industrial action on Thursday.

Both unions say it will be difficult to make a decision on the offer by the government's Friday deadline.

ANMF Tasmania secretary Emily Shepherd said the union was seeking clarification around the pro rata aspect of the proposed payment, which would replace escalation bonus payments.

HACSU state secretary Tim Jacobson said there were "more questions than answers".

"Workers in the health system who have been working in hospitals and other areas where there has been an escalation due to COVID are already due to receive a payment for working through that period," he said.

"There is some significant confusion about who it applies to.

"The proposition that has been put to us is, in a word, confusing. The time frame the government has put to us ... is ridiculous."

Premier Jeremy Rockliff said the payment would apply to about 9500 health staff, and is conditional on an end to industrial action.

"(It) is a better way of supporting our nurses and health workers," he told state parliament.

Labor MP David O'Byrne described the cash offer as a "cynical negotiation tactic".

"(It has been) announced weeks after nurses and midwives were forced to strike just to have the government listen to their concerns," he said.

ANMF members held a mass meeting at the North West Regional Hospital on Wednesday to consider the updated offer.

The government's overall offer to nurses and midwives includes a return-to-work bonus of $2000 and a trial of clinical nurse coaches in public hospitals to mentor and support inexperienced staff.

It has also offered to bring forward enterprise agreement negotiations due to begin in November.

Hundreds of nurses took part in separate rallies outside the Launceston General Hospital and Royal Hobart Hospital earlier this month.

© AAP 2022

Former prime minister Scott Morrison is resisting calls to quit parliament following revelations he secretly appointed himself to five ministerial portfolios.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese revealed on Tuesday that Mr Morrison had appointed himself to the finance, treasury, health, home affairs and resources portfolios between March 2020 and May 2021.

One of Mr Morrison's decisions as resources minister - in relation to the PEP-11 gas project off the NSW coast - is before the Federal Court.

The solicitor-general is preparing advice for Mr Albanese to be delivered on Monday on whether there are other legal issues at play relating to Mr Morrison's actions.

Mr Morrison defended his actions, saying the move was for an emergency scenario when he would need to act in the national interest.

"It was a very extraordinary time that tested every sinew and fabric of government ... (and) Australian society," he told reporters in Sydney on Wednesday.

"We took decisions - I did as a prime minister, we did as a cabinet - at federal and state level that some of us would never have dreamed we would ever have to make."

Mr Morrison added the lawful move, based on advice from his department, wasn't a power grab as he never used the powers or overruled ministers, apart from the resources portfolio decision.

"As prime minister, only I could really understand the weight of responsibility that was on my shoulders," he said.

"The non-exercising of these powers proves that they were handled responsibly, that they were not abused, that they were there in a reserve capacity to ensure the prime minister could act if that was necessary."

Mr Morrison says he kept the powers a secret to not undermine his ministers.

"I was concerned these issues could have been misconstrued and misunderstood and undermine the confidence of ministers in the performance of their duties at that time," he said.

"To best of my recollection ... I didn't exercise any override of any of the ministers in any of their agencies except for (PEP-11)."

One of Mr Morrison's former ministerial colleagues, Karen Andrews - who was unaware she was being shadowed in her role by the Liberal leader - has called on him to quit parliament.

Mr Morrison has apologised to his colleagues for keeping them in the dark.

A number of crossbenchers have flagged referring Mr Morrison to parliamentary committees.

He said he was happy to cooperate with any "genuine or positive process" that examined the government's pandemic response.

Constitutional lawyer Anne Twomey says legal systems were already in place, with acting ministers able to be appointed when a minister is sick or on leave.

"It seems there's this presidential view of, 'Hey, I'm the leader, therefore I must have responsibility for everything'," she told Sky News.

"That's a real denial of the actual system of government we've got."

Labor is considering ways to make ministerial appointments more transparent.

Opposition Leader Peter Dutton says he will work with the government to ensure "checks and balances are put in place to make sure it can't happen again".

Mr Albanese called on the former prime minister to apologise to the Australian people for "a trashing of our democratic system", saying democracy cannot be taken for granted.

"Democracy is in retreat worldwide. There's people fighting now in Ukraine to protect democracy ... you have a rise of undemocratic regimes. Our democracy is precious, we need to defend it and strengthen it, not undermine it," he told reporters in Brisbane.

"(It's) a clear misleading of the parliament, whereby parliamentarians and ministers are held to account for areas in which they have responsibility."

Deputy Liberal leader Sussan Ley criticised Mr Albanese for not focusing on the cost of living and skills shortages.

"Australians want him to focus on the issues in their lives. Nothing in this is going to bring down your power bills," she told Sky News.

Home Affairs Minister Clare O'Neil said intelligence chiefs were unaware of Mr Morrison's self-appointment to the important role.

© AAP 2022