Page 122 - Week 01 - Wednesday, 14 February 1990

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The Assembly voted -

AYES, 11  NOES, 5

Mr Collaery Mr Berry
Mr Duby Ms Follett
Mr Humphries Mrs Grassby
Mr Jensen Mr Whalan
Mr Kaine Mr Wood
Dr Kinloch
Ms Maher
Mr Moore
Mrs Nolan
Mr Prowse
Mr Stefaniak

Question so resolved in the affirmative.

Amendment agreed to.

Motion, as amended, agreed to.

Sitting suspended from 12.39 to 2.30 pm

QUESTION TIME

Executive Deputies

MR SPEAKER: I wish to make a brief statement. Yesterday during questions without notice Mr Whalan raised a point of order concerning Mrs Nolan's right, as an Executive Deputy, to ask a question. Mr Whalan asked me to rule that she and the other Executive Deputies be disbarred from questioning the Government at question time as they are de facto members of the Executive. Standing orders of the Assembly do not make any specific provision as to who may or may not ask questions. Standing order 275 provides that:

Any question relating to procedure ... of the Assembly not provided for in these standing orders or practices of the Assembly, shall be decided according to the practice ... prevailing in the House of Representatives ...

The second edition of the House of Representatives Practice, at page 513, states:

The practice has been that Members holding such positions as Assistant Minister, Parliamentary Secretary or Under-Secretary have been permitted to ask questions, subject to any restrictions imposed by the Government appointing them.

Ministers are not permitted to ask questions.

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