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Australia could hit 10 million cases of COVID-19 by the end of August.

The nation is also closing on 13,000 deaths from coronavirus since the pandemic began in early 2020.

As of Monday, the total number of new cases racked up since early 2020 was 9.8 million, including 14,623 recorded in the previous 24 hours.

The national death toll currently stands at 12,886, including 27 new deaths recorded on Monday.

Meanwhile, the Australian Medical Association says the decision to set up a Moderna mRNA vaccination production factory in Melbourne will be an asset in years ahead.

The factory will be based at Melbourne's Monash University under a 10-year deal inked by the Victorian and federal governments.

Up to 100 million mRNA vaccine doses will be produced annually under the manufacturing partnership signed by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews on Monday.

Moderna will also set up its headquarters and a regional research centre in Victoria.

The factory will be the only Moderna facility of its kind in the southern hemisphere and first to be based at a university.

AMA President Steve Robson said Australians may have noticed shortages of critical medications and health supplies at the moment, due to global supply chain issues.

"The AMA is very interested in improving sovereign capacity to manufacture so many surgical supplies and medications and things right here," Prof Robson said.

"We could be a hub for the Pacific. So, the idea that we're manufacturing vaccines here is fantastic and we hope it expands to lots of other critical medical things for Australians' health."

LATEST 24-HOUR COVID-19 DATA:

Victoria: 4858 cases, 20 deaths, 535 in hospital with 18 in ICU

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Scott Morrison was sworn into a fourth portfolio, with documents revealing more about the former prime minister's moves to secretly install himself across his government's ministries.

An administrative arrangements order for the social services portfolio was signed by Mr Morrison and Governor-General David Hurley on June 28, 2021, on top of him also being privately sworn in as health minister, finance minister and resources minister.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese declined to directly express his support for the governor-general when asked to on Tuesday morning, as the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet inquires into the legality of Mr Morrison's leadership arrangements.

However, Mr Albanese told the ABC: "The governor-general acted on the advice of the government of the day. It is Scott Morrison that initiated this extraordinary and unprecedented action.

"The governor-general's job is to take the advice of the government of the day. I dont intend to pass judgment ... blame for this lands squarely on the former government.

"Clearly other ministers knew ... they chose not to make it public."

Mr Albanese indicated there could be further portfolios Mr Morrison swore himself into.

"There may well be more but I'll have more to say about that when Im properly briefed," he said.

"There are checks and balances in this system and they've been deliberately undermined by the former prime minister."

Former agriculture minister David Littleproud has called on Mr Morrison to explain himself.

"He owes it to the Office of Prime Minister and the exalted position that we have this this country to reflect and actually give an explanation to clear this up and give clarity," he told the ABC.

"That is the honourable thing to do, to give the respect to the highest office that any Australian can be elected to in this country."

Helen Haines says while there was uncertainty around the COVID pandemic and what would happen if the health minister fell ill, there was no reason for the secrecy.

"But the fact he chose not to tell anyone about this, the fact many members of his cabinet didn't know about this, but this covered multiple portfolios," she said.

"The prime minister has a responsibility to inform the parliament, the public and to inform his cabinet."

On the weekend, The Australian reported Mr Morrison swore himself in as health minister and finance minister, alongside his own ministers, after the start of the pandemic in March 2020.

He also swore himself in as resources minister in 2021 and used his powers to overturn a decision by former minister Keith Pitt to approve a controversial gas project off the NSW coast, according to news.com.au.

Mr Pitt has issued a statement saying he was unaware Mr Morrison had joint oversight of his portfolio and that he stands by the decisions he made.

A spokesperson for Governor-General David Hurley says he followed processes consistent with the constitution when he appointed Mr Morrison to the additional portfolios.

"It is not uncommon for ministers to be appointed to administer departments other than their portfolio responsibility," the spokesperson said in a statement.

"These appointments do not require a swearing-in ceremony. The governor-general signs an administrative instrument on the advice of the prime minister."

Opposition Leader Peter Dutton said he didn't know Mr Morrison had sworn himself into the cabinet positions.

"Obviously the prime minister had his reasons, his logic for it, but it was not was not a decision that I was a party to or was aware of," he told ABC Radio on Monday.

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Helen Haines has branded Scott Morrison's move to secretly install himself in at least three ministries as extraordinary and alarming, calling for the former prime minister to explain himself.

The Independent member for Indi has welcomed an investigation into the legality of the appointments by the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet.

"It is a most extraordinary and alarming set of circumstances. There is so much we don't know. We deserve an explanation around this. Is this setting some kind of strange precedent?" she told the ABC.

Ms Haines says while there was uncertainty around the pandemic and what would happen if the health minister fell ill, there was no reason for the secrecy.

"There is no question that during this period we were in a most difficult time," she said.

"One could understand how the prime minister may have wished to ensure that there was a safety net, particularly around the role of the health minister.

"But the fact he chose not to tell anyone about this, the fact many members of his cabinet didn't know about this, but this covered multiple portfolios.

"The prime minister has a responsibility to inform the parliament, the public and to inform his cabinet."

Anthony Albanese has received legal advice on whether his predecessor breached the constitution.

He was briefed by his department on the constitutionality of Mr Morrison's actions while in government, after returning to Canberra on Monday afternoon.

On the weekend, The Australian reported Mr Morrison swore himself in as health minister and finance minister, alongside his own ministers, after the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020.

He also swore himself in as resources minister in 2021 and used his powers to overturn a decision by former minister Keith Pitt to approve a controversial gas project off the NSW coast, according to news.com.au.

On Monday evening, Mr Pitt issued a statement saying he was unaware Mr Morrison had joint oversight of his portfolio and that he stood by the decisions he made.

"I stand by the decisions I made as a minister, the fact that they were discharged correctly and they met all of the requirements under the ministerial standards," he said.

Former Liberal prime minister Malcolm Turnbull said the revelations about the man who toppled him from the leadership were appalling and against the traditions of Westminster parliamentary democracy.

"I'm astonished Mr Morrison thought he could do it, astonished that prime minister and cabinet went along with it," he told ABC television's 730 program.

"I'm even more astonished the governor-general was party it to. This is sinister stuff."

A spokesperson for Governor-General David Hurley says he followed processes consistent with the constitution when he appointed Mr Morrison to the additional portfolios.

"It is not uncommon for ministers to be appointed to administer departments other than their portfolio responsibility," the spokesperson said in a statement.

"These appointments do not require a swearing-in ceremony. The governor-general signs an administrative instrument on the advice of the prime minister."

Opposition Leader Peter Dutton said he didn't know Mr Morrison had sworn himself into the cabinet positions.

"Obviously the prime minister had his reasons, his logic for it, but it was not was not a decision that I was a party to or was aware of," he told ABC Radio on Monday.

Mr Dutton also said he didn't know whether Mr Morrison had sworn himself in as defence minister, which was his former cabinet position in the coalition government.

© AAP 2022