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- 12 May 2004
Prison Population
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The Hon. GREG PEARCE: I direct my question to the Minister for Justice. Does the Minister stand by his statement to the House on 30 March that his department had a glowing report card from the Productivity Commission and his 6 May comments in support of the report? Can he explain to the House how he concluded that the report is glowing when it disclosed that New South Wales prisons are still the most violent prisons in Australia with the highest incidence of assaults in 2002-03 by prisoners on other prisoners? There were nearly 1,400 reported assaults, which is 215 per cent higher than the number in Victoria and 258 per cent higher than the number in Queensland. Can he also explain how he concluded that the Productivity Commission report is glowing when the Auditor-General's conclusion in the same report is that the department is not performing as well as most other States with regard to prisoner-on-prisoner assaults, recidivism and average inmate costs?
The Hon. Michael Egan: Point of order: I think that question is grossly out of order. It is not seeking information; it is mounting an argument and seeking opinions from the Minister.
The Hon. John Ryan: To the point of order: The member was seeking elucidation of an answer given on a previous day in light of additional information he has brought to the House. It is an entirely orderly question and I see absolutely no reason that the Minister should not be required to answer it.
The Hon. Michael Egan: Further to the point of order: The so-called question engaged in argument about a previous answer given to the House. Question time is for the seeking of information, not for the mounting of an argument. A member is not entitled to seek an opinion from a Minister—which is what the Hon. Greg Pearce was doing.
The Hon. Greg Pearce: To the point of order: I did not seek an opinion: I sought elucidation. I asked the Minister to explain to the House how he reached the political conclusion that he stated in the House on both 30 March and 6 May.
The PRESIDENT: Order! There are 13 separate requirements in the standing orders relating to the form of questions. Most members transgress most of those requirements most of the time. However, when a point of order is taken drawing attention to such a transgression, I am bound to point it out to the member who has asked the question. The question of the Hon. Greg Pearce contained argument and sought an expression of opinion and is clearly out of order. If the member wishes to ask the question in a different form, he may do so when he is next give the call.
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