Wednesday, 1 April 2026

 The SPEAKER (14:51): I have reviewed the constituency questions from yesterday. The member for Brighton asked two questions for his constituency question. The first question was a broad policy question, although the member did sufficiently link the question to his constituents. The second question, posed near the end of his remarks, sought an opinion by asking the Premier to make a judgement on a proposition. Guidelines for questions from Rulings from the Chair, page 143, state that questions should not seek an opinion. Members should not ask two or more questions during constituency questions if those questions are different in substance. I therefore rule the member’s constituency question out of order for asking two questions and for seeking an opinion. The member for Footscray asked the minister to provide her with a letter. This is a request for an action, and I rule it out of order. The member for Richmond asked the minister whether a practice she described was legal. As I have noted, guidelines for questions state that questions should not seek an opinion, particularly a legal opinion, from ministers. I therefore rule the question out of order.

Questions must seek information about policy, public administration and the actions of government departments for which ministers are responsible to the house. Rather than seek an opinion from the minister, members seeking information about the implementation or effect of a policy or legislation should phrase their questions in a way to elicit factual or measurable information rather than ask the minister to express a view on a matter that is debatable or subject to interpretation or that can only be resolved in the courts.