| Related Orders, Precedents and Rulings |
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| 2010 Precedent | 1. Immediately prior to Question Time the Premier made a statement and the Leader of the Opposition responded in relation to the 'Close the Gap Indigenous Health Summit Statement of Intent'. By leave, the Premier and the Leader of the Opposition jointly signed the Statement of Intent, after which the Speaker advised the House that the Statement of Intent would be made available for members’ signature. PD 3/6/2010, 23709-23711; VP 3/6/2010, 2113-2114 |
| 2007 Precedent | 1. Leave was granted for the Leader of The Nationals and five Independent members to respond to a ministerial statement made by the Premier earlier in the day. PD 25/10/2007, 3420-3423; VP 25/10/2007, 334 2. The Premier made a statement in relation to the death of Mr Bernie Banton, a campaigner for asbestos disease sufferers. The Leader of the Opposition also addressed the House and members and officers of the House stood as a mark of respect. PD 27/11/2007, 4396-4397; VP 27/11/2007, 416 3. A Minister made a statement in relation to the death of a Wauchope State Emergency Service Team Leader. The Leader of The Nationals also addressed the House and members and officers of the House stood as a mark of respect. PD 4/12/2007, 4934; VP 4/12/2007, 451 |
| S.O. 116 of 1994 (Repealed) | 116. Ministerial statements are of unlimited duration and the Leader of the Opposition or any Member deputed may respond for the same period of time. |
| 2004 Precedent | During the giving of a Ministerial statement a point of order was raised that under the standing orders of the House, a ministerial statement should involve a statement of policy or something related to a Minister's portfolio and that what the Minister was talking about (re: allegations of inducements for independent candidates for the Federal election) had nothing to do with what normally constitutes a ministerial statement and should be ruled out of order. The Speaker ruled that the Minister was giving a preamble to the statement. A further point of order was raised that the Minister's comments were not a ministerial statement. The Speaker ruled that the statement did constitute a ministerial statement and that the precedents for such a statement was established through the rulings of former Speakers that "ministerial statements are covered not by the standing orders but by usage and practice", to which a point of order was raised that the statement should be ruled out of order on the basis that it would establish a precedent that is totally unacceptable to the House. The Speaker did not agree. PD 21/09/2004, pp 11167 - 11168 |
| 2003 Precedent | 1. During the Opposition's response to a Ministerial Statement the Speaker upheld a point of order that the Opposition spokesperson was out of order straying from the subject of the Ministerial Statement. PD 25/06/2003, 2131 2. During the giving of a Ministerial statement a point of order was raised that the Minister was abusing the process speaking on a matter related to their electorate and not relevant to their portfolio. The Speaker did not uphold the point of order noting that the Minister in question was the Minister for Regional Development and that his electorate was a regional one. The Speaker also reminded the member that the Chair could not dircet the Minister how to make a ministerial statement. PD 28/10/2003, p 4208 |
| 2002 Precedent | 1. Leave not granted to a Minister who sought to make a ministerial statement outside of the normal routine of business. VP 23/10/02, 504 |
| 2000 Precedent | 1. In addition to the Leader of the Opposition, the Leader of the National Party, by leave, responded to a ministerial statement concerning Aboriginal Reconciliation. VP 4/4/00, 322 2. Member, speaking on behalf of the Leader of the Opposition, responded to a ministerial statement, as did another Member, by leave. VP 08/06/00, 582 3. During a ministerial statement on truth in trading laws, a Member moved 'That the Minister for Fair Trading and Minister for Sport and Recreation be not further heard'. Motion negatived on division. VP 22/06/00, 636 |
| 1996 Precedent | 1. Speaker ruled one reply was allowed. PD 22/5/96, 1368 |
| 1995 Precedent | 1. Minister sought leave to table certain papers and to make a short statement about them. Leader of the Opposition attempted to reply as if a Ministerial Statement. Speaker ruled that as he had not reached the place for Ministerial Statements in the Routine of Business following Question Time there was no right of reply. PD 20/9/95, 1209-1210 |
| 1994 Precedent | 1. Certain documents were ordered to be laid before the House before its rising. Leader of the House made a ministerial statement asking that the resolution be amended to permit the tabling on a later date. Two points of order taken that (1) the Premier and not the Leader of the House should be making the statement and (2) that the Minister should not be discussing departmental administration but should confine his remarks to government policy. The Speaker ruled that there was no foundation for the first point of order, and, that as the issue concerned the conduct of proceedings of the House, it was well within the province of the Minister, as Leader of the House, to make a ministerial statement. As to the second point, which related to subject matter of a ministerial statement, the Speaker stated that rulings contained in Decisions from the Chair indicated that ministerial statements were not governed by standing orders but by the established practice of the House. As the House had chosen to allow the matter to proceed by way of ministerial statement, he regarded the point of order as spurious, and ruled that it was a satisfactory way to pursue the matter. PD 3/5/94, 1823 2. Point of order taken that the Premier was making a ministerial statement in response to a question without notice. The member had no objection to the Premier making a ministerial statement but demanded that the Leader of the Opposition be allowed to reply, if necessary. The Speaker ruled that it was a classic example of what was not a ministerial statement because the matters addressed arose from a resolution passed by the House. Ministerial statements applied to matters of government policy. As the matter arose from a resolution of the House, it could in now way be construed to be government policy. PD 13/5/94, 2612-3 |
| 1992 Precedent | 1. Point of order taken that it was inappropriate for the Leader of the Opposition, when replying to a ministerial statement, to use the forum of the House to abuse someone who is unable to defend himself, the Speaker noted that it has often been held that members who criticise persons who are outside the House, and who thus have no way of answering the criticism, risk the opprobrium of the community if those criticisms are misdirected. If the Leader of the Opposition intended criticising departmental officers, he advised him that decorum would be better observed by directing his remarks through the Chair and not at people who may be sitting behind the bar of the House. PD 10/3/92, 846 2. Leave not granted for member to suspend standing and sessional orders to move a notice of motion standing in his name forthwith. The Minister by leave made a statement, that he would not consider the member's notice of motion unless it was given as a censure motion. The Opposition requested that the member be allowed to amend his motion to this effect, and that debate be brought on at once. Speaker ruled that the contributions from both the Minister and the member almost deserved serious attention by the House because what happened was a gross abuse of the procedure that allows a Minister to make a ministerial statement and an Opposition member to reply. He added that he did not intend to take the matter further but warned members that he would not tolerate such a breach in the future. PD 9/4/92, 2526 3. Member attempted to make a brief comment in reply to ministerial statement. Speaker ruled only the Leader of the Opposition or one person deputed by him can comment. PD 29/4/92, 3016 |
| 1991 Precedent | 1. Independent member, by leave, made the response to a ministerial statement. VP 17/10/91, 261 |