In Parliament

Motion: Government Business Program

MOTION

‘GOVERNMENT BUSINESS PROGRAM.’

Tuesday 15 October 2024.

Mr NEWBURY (Brighton) (12:18):

The Coalition will be opposing the Government Business Program. We are deeply concerned. A number of times over this term the Coalition has sought to take Bills into Consideration in Detail. We made a request to the Government on its pill testing Bill and the Government provided 15 minutes when it would take questions on that Bill – 15 minutes. Can you believe it? It is little wonder that the Coalition sought to take this Bill into Consideration in Detail. What is even more concerning is that not only did we have only 15 minutes to put a raft of questions but the Government took those questions on notice, and despite that Bill being debated today, in fact shortly, guess what, how many of those questions have been answered? Zero. The Government has failed to deliver the promised answers on any of those questions before the Bill is debated. Shame on the Government. Those are genuine questions from the community, and it is not unreasonable.

In fact, it is a longstanding tradition not only of this place but of Parliaments that a Bill briefing is provided. I raise my concerns with you, Speaker, about the tradition, the strong tradition of this place, that a Bill briefing is provided and that post that briefing outstanding questions – genuine questions – that have been put by the community are answered in a timely and reasonable way. Yet this Bill is about to be debated, and we have seen nothing. That is very, very concerning. I am sure, Speaker, you would share my concerns that that is still left outstanding. And 15 minutes – you can imagine how little opportunity there is to put genuine questions. I mean, the Government just got up and spoke about this Bill and a health-led response and the fact that they are further legalising drugs effectively, but there are genuine questions that were raised in that process and I know a number of Members on our side of the Chamber have questions that are still left
outstanding.

The Coalition will be opposing the Government Business Program, because you cannot run a Parliament this way. It is shameful, just as shameful as it was for the Government to deny leave on the anniversary of 7 October. How shameful. Even the Federal Government managed to provide leave.

Mary-Anne Thomas: On a point of order, Speaker, the Government Business Program is a narrow debate. I ask that you bring the Manager of Opposition Business back to the Government Business Program.

The SPEAKER: Member for Brighton, I will allow in passing other matters that have happened before the Government Business Program, but I do ask you to speak to the Government Business Program.

James NEWBURY: I would have thought that the Government Business Program would have afforded time to deal with important matters, as did the Federal Parliament. That was not provided here.

This week I will note for the first time the Government Business Program notification did not include an opportunity for any Members to speak on the Budget. That was not noted, as has been the case in recent weeks. It should be recorded that the Council has now provided every Member an opportunity to speak on the Budget. As of this week there are no Members in the Council that have not been provided that opportunity. In our place the Government Business Program has not provided an opportunity for roughly a third of this Chamber to speak on this Budget, and we understand why of course. The fact that a third of the Members of this place have not been afforded an opportunity to speak on the Budget Bills speaks to what the Government actually think of their own Budget, because the Government Members are not being provided an opportunity and the Coalition Members are not being provided an opportunity, and again I note that Council Members have all been provided an opportunity to do so.

The Coalition will be opposing the Government Business Program for their shameful behaviour when it comes to Bill briefings, trying to ram through a Bill without providing proper detail and scrutiny, and we would call for much better management of the process.