Points of Order — Questions for Written Answer

I raise a point of order, Mr Speaker. I wish to raise a point of order on which I believe a considered ruling is required, in respect of written questions. Last August I lodged written questions Nos 7801, 7804, and 7805 to the Minister of Education regarding school funding, and I received those answers on 24 January and 11 February, which was a bit over 5 months late. But the more serious question is that the Minister’s office chose to distribute the answers to those questions to numerous media and education organisations well before the Table Office or myself had received those answers. In fact, I have an email from the Minister’s staff that the Minister specifically instructed his staff to distribute those answers to the media. I seek your ruling on both the timing and the appropriateness of Ministers distributing answers to questions to organisations outside of Parliament, ahead of them being received by a member, or published in the Replies Supplement.

💬 Mr SPEAKER: I thank the member for raising the point of order. [Interruption] The Minister of Education would like to comment.

It is important that the facts are made clear in this case. The reason the questions were late is that the questions related to 2002 expenditure, and that was not available until January, because, of course, the year had not finished. When the figures came through and showed such good news in respect of improved expenditure for schools, I decided that it should be widely shared. [Interruption]

💬 Mr SPEAKER: The good news is that some people will be leaving. I just want to say that that is a serious point of order, and I want to come back with a considered ruling.