The decision by the former prime minister Scott Morrison to take on extra ministerial portfolios secretly has been labelled as corrosive of trust in government.
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A report by former High Court judge Virginia Bell into the multiple ministries found the secrecy surrounding the appointments he took on as prime minister was "apt to undermine public confidence in government".
"Once the appointments became known, the secrecy with which they had been surrounded was corrosive of trust in government," the report said.
"Given the parliament was not informed of any of the appointments, it was unable to hold Mr Morrison to account in his capacity as minister administering any of these five departments."
Elsewhere on the hill, the government has cleared the way for the passing of its controversial workplace laws before Christmas.
It forced a vote on remaining legislation in the Senate to clear the backlog of bills so that next week is free for its laws on an anti-corruption commission and industrial relations to reach the Senate.
The latter may not even be brought on for debate if the government doesn't have the numbers to pass it, with independent senator David Pocock continuing negotiations over the bill.
New workplace laws offering protections against sexual harassment and measures to make it easier to go to court over it are are expected to start in about a year's time.
The legislation cleared the Senate and is set to be rubber-stamped by the lower house next week before parliament rises for the year.
The laws will force employers to take reasonable steps to eliminate sexual discrimination and sexual harassment at work.
It will also remove the cost barrier for people who have experienced sexual harassment or assault seeking legal recourse.
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