Legislative Assembly
Parliament of Victoria

Fact Sheet 33

Questions on Notice

Overview

Questions on notice provide an opportunity for members to seek information from other members. Members ask questions on notice, in writing, by having them placed on the question paper published each sitting day.  Usually, it involves non-government members seeking information from ministers, on matters of government administration.  It is different from Question Time, though many of the rules relating to content are the same.

This fact sheet outlines the procedure and rules relating to questions on notice. For details on Question Time see Fact Sheet 15: Guide for Visitors to Question Time.

What topics are covered by questions on notice?

Unlike Question Time, which tends to involve questions requiring a brief answer to a topical subject, questions on notice are generally used where the answer is likely to be detailed or involve complex information.  Questions on notice often seek from ministers material such as statistical data and comparative information over a number of years.

Process for asking questions

A member who wishes to ask a question must provide the Clerk of the Legislative Assembly with a signed copy of the question before the cut-off time for submitting questions. This is generally 6.00 pm on Tuesdays and Wednesdays and 2.00 pm on Thursdays. If the question is in accordance with the rules of asking questions, it is assigned a sequential number and published. The question paper is circulated the following day, showing all the questions asked on the previous sitting day.

A standard question paper is published on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Thursday’s question paper includes a cumulative list of all question numbers remaining unanswered since the start of the Parliament, as well as new questions from that day. At the end of each sitting period, all questions remaining unanswered are published in full.

Structure of questions

Questions are normally structured into three distinct parts. The question’s subject heading broadly sets out the topic. The subject heading is usually assigned by the Clerk in preparing the question paper. The second part states who is asking the question, and who the question is directed to, and the third part contains the question’s content.

An extract from a question paper

A member can ask a question of multiple ministers. In this case, each minister is listed under the same question. The question’s assigned number remains the same but each of the ministers is assigned an alphabetical reference to the question.

 An extract from a question paper

Asking a question of a Council minister

Members in the Legislative Assembly can ask questions of ministers in the Legislative Council by directing the question through an Assembly minister. If a member wishes to ask a minister a question who is in the other House, they need to ask a ‘representative’ for that minister in their own House.

An extract from a question paper

Rules for asking questions

Rules for asking questions are set out in Standing Orders 53 to 58. Questions can be asked of any member, but are generally directed to a minister, and must be worded in such a way that they do not breach the rules and conventions of the House.

It is important that members write their questions clearly and factually without the use of unbecoming, controversial or offensive language.  Questions must relate to a minister’s current responsibilities or, if addressed to a member other than a minister, relate to any bill, motion or other public matter before the House for which that member has responsibility.  It is very unusual for a member other than a minister to be asked a question, and this is why most of the rules associated with asking questions relate to questions asked of ministers.

Questions must not:

Questions should be asked in a straightforward way, and should not contain:

Process for answering questions

Once questions have been published on the question paper, the relevant ministers respond with an answer in writing. Answers are lodged with the Clerk.

Copies of the answers are then distributed to the member who asked the question and, if applicable, the leader of their party. Answers are published in Hansard in hard copy and online.

Content of answers

In the Assembly, there is no time limit on answering questions. In accordance with Standing Order 58, answers should be direct, factual and succinct.   Answers sometimes contain detailed information such as graphs and tables, and can be quite long.

Where can I find question papers?

All questions that have been asked are published and circulated on the day following that particular sitting day. Anyone is entitled to question papers which are available from:

Where can I find answers to questions?

Answers to question are available from:

Fact Sheet Topics

The Legislative Assembly Procedure Office has produced a series of Fact Sheets that explain parliamentary procedure and terminology. All Fact Sheets are available on Parliament's website www.parliament.vic.gov.au or through the Procedure Office.

Contact Details

Legislative Assembly Procedure Office
Parliament House
Spring Street
EAST MELBOURNE VIC 3002

Feedback

To make our Fact Sheets as effective as they can be, we need your feedback. Click here to complete an online questionnaire.

Compiled by the Procedure Office
and issued by the Clerk of the Legislative Assembly
September 2005

Last update 16 October 2007
Copyright & Disclaimer | Privacy