A key ally of Scott Morrison says he has “only the highest regard for his character, ability and service” as the former PM prepares to face a rare censure motion in parliament.

Labor’s bid to censure Mr Morrison over his decision to secretly appoint himself to additional ministerial portfolios has been lashed by the Liberal Party as “payback”.

On Tuesday, Liberal MP and NSW party powerbroker Alex Hawke hit back at views attributed to him in author Niki Savva’s new book Bulldozed.

Savva quotes Mr Hawke – one of Mr Morrison’s closest friends in parliament – as saying the former PM should have “quit parliament” immediately after the May election. Mr Hawke also said that Mr Morrison became “addicted to executive authority”, in regard to his secret ministerial grabs.

Mr Morrison “didn’t really want to take advice from people” and “wasn’t the greatest listener”, Savva writes. But on Tuesday Mr Hawke said he stood by his friend.

“I have only the highest regard for his character, ability and service as prime minister,” he said in a statement.

“Indeed, we have been friends for many years and my long-term, consistent, and positive views about Scott Morrison are well known, and my views on the great success of the government under his leadership are forever on the public record to see.”

Mr Hawke said Mr Morrison’s “administrative decisions” to secretly adopt additional portfolios “made sense at the time”.

“The pointless and unnecessary political manoeuvring of the Australian Labor Party in proposing to censure a former prime minister … is wrong,” he said.

“I have caught up with Scott Morrison and like every day, look forward to joining him in parliament and, in particular, supporting him against the Labor Party’s divisive political tactics.”

Leader of the House Tony Burke is expected to move a censure motion against Mr Morrison in parliament on Wednesday, during the final sitting week of the year.

Censure motions have no legal consequences. But they are rare and give parliamentarians the chance to formally note disapproval with their colleagues.

Coalition MPs won’t support the motion, labelling it a “political stunt” by the Labor government.

“A Labor government should in fact be using the time that we have left in parliament to deal with the real problems that are facing Australians, like the cost of living and energy prices,” Opposition Leader Peter Dutton told a Coalition party room meeting on Tuesday.

“Instead, they’ve chosen to use the time for political stunts and payback – so much for a kinder, gentler parliament.”

Mr Morrison spoke briefly at the party room meeting, thanking Coalition members for their support since the inquiry report was released and since his election loss.

Tasmanian Liberal Bridget Archer has flagged she is likely to cross the floor to support the government’s censure motion.

“It’s bigger than Scott Morrison in a way, what we are talking about, I think the words of the Bell report were corrosive to democracy,” she said on Tuesday.

“The Australian people care about that, they demonstrated that in their response to their views on integrity. It’s a value we should uphold.”

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the Bell report into Mr Morrison’s conduct was “devastating” for the Coalition.

“We can never go back to the chaos and dysfunction of the previous government,” he told a party room meeting.

Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus said it was important for parliament to show its disapproval of Mr Morrison’s conduct.

“These are the actions of a prime minister who had himself appointed to some five ministries and kept it secret from the parliament,” he told Nine’s Today program.

“It’s a very serious attack on our democracy, and we can’t let it go unmarked.”

The last MP to be censured was Liberal MP Bruce Billson in 2018 for not declaring payments while he was still in parliament.

Mr Dreyfus said what Mr Morrison did was a breach of democratic principles.

“[Being] censured by the parliament is a very, very unusual step, and I think that in itself is a very serious punishment,” he said.

Nationals leader David Littleproud said while he did not support Mr Morrison’s secretive ministries, a censure was not necessary.

“What the parliament should be focused on is the reform that that report said we should take up as a parliament and we should do that in a bipartisan way,” he told ABC TV.

“But what we should do is focus on Australians and focus on the cost-of-living pressures they’re facing at the moment.”

Cabinet has agreed to implement all six recommendations from former High Court judge Virginia Bell’s report into Mr Morrison’s conduct, to improve the transparency of ministerial appointments.

Mr Albanese said the government would introduce proposals for new laws to implement the recommendations from the report later this week.

-with AAP