Amended Answers to Oral Questions — Question No. 9 to Minister, 13 November

Point of order. Thank you, Mr Speaker. I seek leave to make a personal explanation to correct answers I gave during oral questions on 12 November 2025.

💬 SPEAKER: Leave is sought for that purpose. Is there any objection? There appears to be none.

In answers to oral question No. 10 on 12 November 2025, I advised that neither the Prime Minister nor I had advance knowledge of the Public Service Commission’s intention to pay for advertising to reach audiences affected by the strikes. That statement was correct. Neither the Prime Minister nor I were told in advance. I also note that in answers to a follow-up question on the same topic—question No. 9 on 13 November 2025—my colleague the Hon James Meager also stated that I was not informed in advance. However, late in the day on 13 November 2025, my office discovered that it had been informed, on 17 October, that the communications would include paid social media. Either earlier information Public Service Commission had not advised it would be paid, and the addition of the word “paid” was not noticed by my office, being in an A3. The Public Service Commission also did not highlight the change, as it has used paid social media before, most recently in 2022. Thank you, Mr Speaker.