Scott Morrison's lengthier ministerial biography is now Wikipedia-true.
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While Australians scoured media reports to keep up with a drip of details as it was revealed in the past several days that Mr Morrison had kept secret his portfolio takeovers, Wikipedia editors were quick off the mark.
The popular online encyclopedia's entry for the former prime minister was updated within minutes of Anthony Albanese confirming that his predecessor's secret joint-ministerial appointments included at least five additional portfolios held by other ministers.
Mr Morrison held the health portfolio with Greg Hunt from March 14, 2020, his entry now says.
Similarly, the finance portfolio concurrently with Mathias Cormann from March 30, 2020 and later with Simon Birmingham until the election, and the home affairs portfolio with Karen Andrews and Treasury with Josh Frydenberg from May 6, 2020.
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Unrelated to the pandemic, the former prime minister used the mechanism again on April 15, 2021 to overrule his resources minister Keith Pitt, while also being minister for industry, science and energy concurrently with Christian Porter, Melissa Price and then Angus Taylor.
The Department of Parliamentary Services, however, has not updated the official parliamentary biography for the former PM.
The Canberra Times has asked if it will, but has not yet received a response.
Official biographies on the Parliament House website usually contain great detail about ministerial and party roles, committee roles and along with employment experience priority to entering the parliament. Sometimes they can be updated at unpredictable and inexplicable times.
ACT senator Katy Gallagher's job history as chief minister was added only this year. Similarly, former ACT senator Zed Seselja's record as opposition leader in the capital was only added to his biography by parliamentary staff after his defeat in the federal election in May.
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Harley Dennett
Former federal politics bureau chief for the Canberra Times, via a career that's taken me from rural Victoria to Washington DC. Telling the stories of my local LGBTI community brought me to political journalism, where I've covered eight budgets, four national elections in two countries, Defence, public service and international governance.
Former federal politics bureau chief for the Canberra Times, via a career that's taken me from rural Victoria to Washington DC. Telling the stories of my local LGBTI community brought me to political journalism, where I've covered eight budgets, four national elections in two countries, Defence, public service and international governance.
