Former prime minister Scott Morrison has registered a private company as speculation swirls that he will exit parliament prior to the next election.
Morrison is the director and sole shareholder in Triginta Pty Ltd, according to his declaration of members’ interests.
The company name means “30” in Latin, likely to be a reference to him being Australia’s 30th prime minister.
It is unknown what the former Australian prime minister intends to be the nature of Triginta’s business.
The Worldwide Speakers Group is listed on his register entry as an additional form of income for the former prime minister, with members attracting speaker fees from $15,000 to more than $60,000.
The group boasts speakers such as former United States House speaker Newt Gingrich, former US vice-president Mike Pence, former White House press secretary Sean Spicer and British comedian John Oliver.
The news of the private company comes after the federal government launched an inquiry into the former prime minister appointing himself to oversee five portfolios.
Advice from the solicitor-general released last week has found that while Scott Morrison’s actions undermined the principles of “responsible government,” he did not break any laws.
Leader of National Party, David Littleproud, says the inquiry announced by the government after the solicitor-general found nothing illicit was a political distraction.
“The solicitor-general made it clear he didn’t break any laws, so I think this additional inquiry is just an obsession by Anthony Albanese with Scott Morrison rather than the Australian people,” he told Sky News on Sunday.
“They can run off with this folly, it’s going to cost a lot of money for the Australian taxpayer.
“I don’t think it’s going to achieve anything else other than what has already been put in place.”
Morrison has also faced criticism when he failed to attend the opening of Australia’s 47th parliament due to a speaking engagement in Japan.
During the trip, he gave a speech on the importance of the QUAD, the alliance between India, the United States, Australia and Japan, and attended meetings with Japanese political and business leaders.
Morrison travelled to Tokyo with his wife Jenny, and the pair’s flights and accommodation were paid for by the Worldwide Support for Development, a Japanese non-profit organisation.
