Former Nationals leader Barnaby Joyce says he didn't pursue Scott Morrison's increased secret powers because he thought his party would lose the extra portfolio they had gained.
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Mr Joyce said he was never explicitly told by Mr Morrison that the former prime minister had appointed himself as resources minister, but eventually found out "obliquely".
Mr Morrison took on the health, finance, treasury, home affairs, industry, science, energy and resources portfolios between March 2020 and May 2021.
One of his decision's was to block the Pep-11 gas exploration licence off the NSW coast, which is now the subject of a Federal Court appeal.
Mr Joyce said he had negotiated an extra ministry for the Nationals, which would have been taken off them had he "gone into bat" over Mr Morrison's powers.
"Over a period of time and discussions ... it became more apparent that the prime minister had greater powers than I initially assumed," he told the ABC on Sunday.
"The prime minister's solution to me, if I had pursued this, was quite simple. He just took away the portfolio that we weren't entitled to and took us back to the number we were entitled to. He would have the portfolio back and we would lose all power.
"It worked over a period of time where the prime minister got to a position, and said 'I can overrule him'."
When asked whether Mr Morrison's decision to block the gas project was in the national interest or the Liberal Party's, Mr Joyce would not be drawn.
"That's a question for the prime minister, isn't it," he said.
Anthony Albanese has flagged reform and inquiries in the wake of revelations the former prime minister secretly swore himself into five ministries, to ensure it never happens again.
One of Mr Morrison's former ministers, Karen Andrews, called on him to resign from parliament.
The prime minister will receive advice from the solicitor-general on Monday on whether Mr Morrison's actions gave rise to any legal or constitutional problems, then make any necessary changes.
Mr Albanese said if the solicitor-general's advice was Mr Morrison had acted within the law, he would still seek to change the system.
"There's separate questions about the functioning of our democracy, about conventions and whether any conventions have been overturned and whether there's a need for any reforms required to ensure that something like this can never happen again," Mr Albanese told Sky News on Sunday.
"We'll examine all of those issues ... I am running a proper cabinet government that has proper processes.
"Very clearly, there's a need for proper scrutiny of what occurred here, this was an undermining of our parliamentary democracy."
Mr Albanese said his predecessor had trashed the Westminster system.
When asked about legal ramifications following Mr Morrison's intervention in a gas drilling project off the NSW coast, Mr Albanese would not be drawn.
He said the government would honour contracts that were signed under modern manufacturing grants, and were worth more than $828 million.
Nine mastheads revealed Mr Morrison had the final say over the grants in the industry portfolio, in the year leading up to the federal election.
Mr Albanese said deals that were yet to be formally inked would be examined by the department on their merits, with decisions to be made "very shortly".
When asked if a royal commission into the nation's COVID-19 pandemic response would include state governments along with the federal, Mr Albanese said their role would be also be investigated.
"Clearly you need to look at the response of all governments ... the different jurisdictions ... it exposed some of the issues with our federation can often be quite difficult with overlapping responsibilities," he said.
Mr Albanese said a royal commission would be held as soon as practical.
Australian Associated Press
