Thursday, 19 March 2020

Burwood electorate

Mr FOWLES (Burwood) (11:48): (2314) My question is to the Minister for Disability, Ageing and Carers. The St George’s Hospital site has a long and storied history. Though it sits just outside of my electorate, it has served multiple purposes over many years including being host of the birth of two of my three brothers. Minister, my question is: as we enter an environment where aged-care services are becoming more and more important, and in particular public aged-care beds are becoming more and more important, what development plans are there for this site, and what does the government see as being the best way to deliver the maximum number of public aged-care beds in the aged-care system?

Mr D O’Brien: On a point of order, Speaker, I am seeking clarification. We had a situation then where the usual practice of the house is to alternate between government and non-government members and given that a call was missed earlier there was an opportunity for an opposition member to add another question. I seek your advice on why that was not afforded to me.

The SPEAKER: I thought that was the reason you were rising to your feet on this occasion. The usual sequence of events is that members seek the call during constituency questions from either side of the house. Although sessional order 8(1), which I am bound to apply, clearly states:

At the conclusion of oral questions without notice and ministers’ statements, five government members and five non-government members may ask one oral question each to ministers relating to constituency matters.

So I had to take the last question from a government member. I do note it is a bit different to some other practices of the house.