Points of Order — Budget Lock-up—Access for Parliamentary Library

I raise a point of order, Mr Speaker. I bring this point of order to your attention because of the short notice involved; otherwise I would not take your time here. I am seeking your support for the Parliamentary Library staff to have access to the full Budget lock-up. Currently, they do not have access to the full Budget lock-up. It is important, in order for the Opposition to keep the Government to account, that we are able to rely on the parliamentary team in our analysis of the Budget as part of the Budget process. Currently, Treasury is keeping Parliamentary Library staff out of the full Budget lock-up. It has agreed to let them into the short Opposition Budget lock-up, but currently they do not have access to the full Budget lock-up. It would be tremendously helpful if you could prevail upon the executive, Mr Speaker, to let the parliamentary team into the full Budget lock-up.

💬 Mr SPEAKER: This is a matter for the Government. How it handles the lock-up prior to the Budget is not a matter for the order of this House and it is not a matter that this House can make decisions on.