Urgent Debates Declined — Health, Ministry—Report of Controller and Auditor-General on Contracting Practices

The second application is from the Hon Tony Ryall and relates to a report of the Controller and Auditor-General on the Ministry of Health’s contracting practices. This is a particular case of recent occurrence involving ministerial responsibility.

However, I am not prepared to grant an urgent debate on this application, for two reasons. First, the debate on the Prime Minister’s statement is under way. As Speaker’s ruling 166/1 makes clear, the fact that a general debate of this nature is before the House, while not ruling such a debate out conclusively, is a relevant factor counting against acceptance. Secondly, the subject of the report can appropriately be examined in the course of the financial reviews of departments currently before committees and then in the financial review debate. Consequently, this application is also declined.