It is not just Morrison's action alone, but it is the damage done to the fact that Australia has always been hailed as a bastion of democracy and fair dealing throughout society.

What makes the situation worse still is audacity of some of Morrison's mates actually defending his conduct - especially the former PM John Howard.

As I watched him on the news I could not help but feel utter disgust that he would show concern for the Liberal Party, but not waste a thought about the effect Morrison's action may have had on the nation.

John Howard's concern for the wellbeing of the Liberal Party over that of the integrity of our parliamentary institutions and traditions is appalling. He should hang his head in shame.

Mr Howard's words clearly demonstrate that in his view politicians of a given standing are beyond reproach, no matter what. If the PM is the adviser to the Governor-General who advised the Governor-General concerning Morrison's appointment to those ministerial positions? Surely Morrison must have had bureaucrats to support him? All of that should be made public to restore some integrity to government.

David Hurley has inadvertently given the Republican movement a massive free kick.

His involvement in the Morrison multiple-ministry controversy, and his almost complete invisibility during the pandemic, has raised the obvious question: What is the point of the governor-general? Whilst some have excused the Governor-General's actions, saying that it was Morrison's job to inform his colleagues and the people, the Governor-General's lack of action in publicising or even questioning the decisions means he was little more than an expensive rubber stamp.

He should go and so should the position if this example represents the ineffectiveness of the position itself.

Regarding Scott Morrison's multiple ministerial positions, a song came out in 1975 about the former president of Uganda, Idi Amin. The lyrics went "Idi, Idi, Idi Amin, the most amazin' man the world has seen, I the general, the president, the king of the scene, Idi, Idi, Idi Amin". That's because Idi appointed himself to all sorts of positions and ranks, including Field Marshal. I can't help but see a parallel here.

In the hullabaloo of Morrison and the secret unpublished ministerial usurpation, the ethics of the Governor-General are faulty.

The Governor-General is an accessory after the fact; he knew of the secrecy when the Prime Minister's multiple ministerial appointments were not published and he remained silent. Morrison has to go. The Governor-General is not "scot" free of blame. He too has to go.

I understand Phil Gaetjens may be between jobs temporarily. Surely he is an ideal candidate to perform a comprehensive investigation into the involvement of the Prime Minister's office in the secret appointment of dual ministers.

In a stunning development former prime minister Scott Morrison has become the first known case of the M4E (or Minister-For-Everything) strain. Symptoms include a secret desire to acquire up to five extra ministerial portfolios, under the cover of a pandemic.

The latest revelations about Morrison's erratic leadership cause me to wonder whether he had more Machiavellian intentions.

Perhaps inspired by Trump's success in destabilising the US did he think he could act similarly? Fortunately, he is not as clever as he thinks he is.

While he may not trust governments, our AEC is a bastion of integrity and his dysfunctional government was voted out. We dodged a bullet.

It seems that then-attorney-general Christian Porter advised then-prime minister Morrison that two ministers could be sworn in to the same portfolio.

A portfolio is a political entity based on a department (and may in a few cases include a second department, such as Veterans' Affairs in the Defence portfolio).

It is headed by one or more cabinet ministers, and may include one or more other ministers and/or assistant ministers. Each minister holds one or more ministries; not portfolios.

If Porter gave Morrison the impression that not only a portfolio, but also a ministry, can have more than one minister, he may have contributed to the confusion that resulted in their being, at various times, two ministers for health, for finance and for resources.

The Coalition men mutter and hide behind the curtains, leaving a woman to appeal to a backbencher to look for another job, before another mess needs to be cleaned up from their last term of office.

Scott Morrison's former tourism bosses in Australia and NZ would no doubt be nodding knowingly at another example of how this Lone Ranger eschewed due process, organisational transparency, and communication channels.

I arrived in Australia in August 1968 as a 19-year-old running away from Franco's Spain and fascist dictatorship. Australia received me with open arms. That is something for which I am eternally grateful.

54 years later I open The Canberra Times and read that our former PM has been indulging in the ordinary practices of a typical fascist dictator, i.e. do whatever you want. No need to tell your acolytes, even less, the media and the people at large. Govern to suit your personal purposes.

Quo vadis Australia?

John Howard stated that it isn't in the interests of the Liberal Party for Scott Morrison to resign. If Howard was a true statesman he would put the interests of Australia first, which would be for Morrison to resign.

This week it was revealed that former PM Morrison appointed himself as a minister of several departments, giving himself unprecedented power. He did not reveal this to Parliament, several department heads and his own party and Coalition partner.

Initially this action was for three departments, but further investigations have since identified it was five departments. What else has he hidden?

Morrison's action was no different to what happens in a dictatorship.

I suggest he moves to Russia, China, North Korea, Myanmar or any other dictatorial country that would accept him. However, I doubt that even they would want him.

He is a total disgrace to our Westminster system and should immediately resign from Parliament.

Is it conceivable there could be a full-scale war? An invasion of Taiwan by Chinese forces? My first reaction is that in today's world, with modern weapons capable of immense destruction, this is ridiculous.

The current war in Ukraine and recent history, the long and failed war in Vietnam, are warning examples. Yet in the past, unlikely wars, discarding reason and driven by emotion, have happened; the war declared by Britain on their American colony being an example.

The Chinese leadership must regard Taiwan as unfinished business. The Chinese island became the refuge of Chiang Kai-shek, driven out of the mainland and taking China's gold reserves with him. It is not easy to disregard historical perspectives and face the modern reality, the flourishing modern democracy that Taiwan is today.

An elective war with Taiwan is likely to be a costly mistake, and may be regarded by future historians as the revenge of the hated warlord Chiang Kai-shek.

In a bizarre "Jesus can't swim" moment, lazy Albo has been complaining Scott Morrison had been secretly doing too much work, for free, against union rules.

When Tony Abbott became PM, he was criticised for not switching from opposition to running the country. The same goes for Anthony Albanese. Forget about what the former PM did. Get on with the challenges we face: inflation; debt, war threats; aged care; NDIS overspending, and keeping your promises. We won't forget the $275 cheaper electricity bills under Labor.

Scott Morrison, as PM during the extreme emergency of the COVID-19 pandemic, secretly held five ministries. When Labor party won in 1972 two men held all the ministries for two weeks, They were the PM, Gough Whitlam, and Lance Barnard. A virtual dictatorship. It's having the power that matters, not whether it's secret.

The way everybody, and I mean everybody, has turned on Scott Morrison for taking prudent precautions to preserve the functions of government during a major national emergency is reminiscent of Trump derangement syndrome. What would Albo have done?

Let's hear it one more time for Scomo; Jack of all trades, master of awkward choices.

The stench emanating from the former PM is becoming increasingly potent. His reputation - if he has any left - is increasingly in tatters. What further revelations are still to see the light of day?

It's strange how the "minister for everything" knew nothing whenever anything went wrong.

Did anyone else detect the delight in the PM's face when handed a juicy political (non-event?) issue with which to attack his predecessor? Alas, the real issues - inflation, cost of living, wages and national security - are not going away. How about shaping up or shipping out Albo?

Did Morrison see himself as "Lord High Everything Else" in the Mikado?

We learn Scott Morrison further deceived the Australian people by secretly assuming additional ministerial roles. Why was the Governor-General complicit in this secret arrangement to exercise power without responsibility? Who does the Governor-General serve?

Apropos the claim a rugby league player was helping a team mate to vomit in a toilet; I've driven the porcelain bus a few times and never needed anyone else's help to do so.

Now I've heard everything. This is a recent quote from Bridget McKenzie: "I always back accountability and transparency".