Criticism of Outgoing Governor-General

An article in The Canberra Times about outgoing Governor-General, David Hurley’s role in agreeing to swear the then Prime Minister into multiple ministries in secret between 2020 and 2022 subjected the G-G to scrutiny over his actions from a legal perspective. This led National Convenor, Sarah Brasch, to write to The Editor focussing on Hurley’s other (known) transgressions while in office: his appearance in a promotional video praising the builder who carried out the expensive renovations to his private residence in Canberra; his personal lobbying of then Prime Minister Scott Morrison for funding to set up the Governor-General’s Leadership Forum – the $18m allocated was quickly rescinded by the incoming Labor Government in May 2022 – and being party to the issue of a ‘glamour’ shot of the final meeting of the Federal Executive Council deep into the Caretaker period before the May 2022 general election that was politicised and circulated on social media by then Goldstein MP, Tim Wilson, who lost his seat. Not the best rap sheet for the last Governor-General. The actions of his successor will be closely scrutinised.