Questions on notice
Answers
Mr RICH-PHILLIPS (South Eastern Metropolitan) (12:39): I would like to raise a number of questions on notice which remain outstanding for the attention of the Minister for Transport Infrastructure. These are questions 4903, 4904, 4905 and 4906, which were asked on 8 March this year. Additionally there is a question outstanding for the Minister for Planning, which is 3699, which was asked on 25 May last year. I have written to both the Minister for Transport Infrastructure and the Minister for Planning advising that the questions are outstanding. They still have not been received, and I seek an explanation from the Leader of the Government, please.
Ms SYMES (Northern Victoria—Leader of the Government, Attorney-General, Minister for Emergency Services) (12:40): Mr Rich-Phillips, if I grab that on my way out, I will get my office to follow it up immediately.
Dr Bach: On a point of order, President, in question time the Minister for Workplace Safety claimed that I had misrepresented some statements that she made a fortnight ago. A fortnight ago she said 195 WorkSafe inspections had been made at youth justice facilities, so in fact her assertion about me today was incorrect. She had misled the house, I am sure inadvertently, a fortnight ago, so I would hope that the minister would review the Hansard and then in due course withdraw her accusation about me.
The PRESIDENT: I believe that when we spoke about it the minister responded to it. I am happy to review the Hansard and check.
Ms CROZIER (Southern Metropolitan) (12:41): Can I also raise the issue of outstanding questions on notice. I have got a list of 126 to the Minister for Health that have gone past the 30-day period. In the interests of time, I will not read them all out because there are 126. I will have more in the next sitting week. But I do ask that these be addressed.
Ms SYMES (Northern Victoria—Leader of the Government, Attorney-General, Minister for Emergency Services) (12:42): Ms Crozier, I will also follow those up. But I have noted before the amount of questions on notice that go to the Minister for Health, who has a very important job of seeing us through the COVID recovery. If we put on record how many questions are asked, I think they are doing their best to meet 30 days, but they are also doing really important work making sure that our hospitals are supported and the community is supported in a health response. It is resource intensive when you get slammed with that many questions. But it is a requirement to respond, and I will follow up your outstanding matters.
Ms Crozier: Thank you, Minister, for undertaking that commitment. I take the minister’s point about where it is, but I do make the point that these are important questions. I have had questions answered 18 months later. It is not good enough.
The PRESIDENT: We are getting involved with debate now, and I am not going to allow that.
Ms Crozier: I know, but I just—
The PRESIDENT: Sorry, Ms Crozier. I know you have raised the issue—
Ms Crozier: I would appreciate it if they would be addressed. They are important matters.
The PRESIDENT: We all know I cannot do anything about this. The minister took responsibility, so that is the end of it.