Tuesday, 18 November 2025

 Anasina GRAY-BARBERIO (Northern Metropolitan) (12:40): My question is to the Minister for Children. Minister, have you or your department required stakeholders, including committees and advisory councils, to sign non-disclosure agreements as part of the consultation processes for legislation in the past year?

 Lizzie BLANDTHORN (Western Metropolitan – Minister for Children, Minister for Disability) (12:40): I thank Ms Gray-Barberio for her question in relation to consultation on legislation. Indeed, as I have outlined for the house in relation to the bills that are before the house at the current point in time, consultation is something that we do broadly with various organisations and across the board. There are numerous consultation forums set up for different pieces of legislation, and in order to answer Ms Gray-Barberio’s question, I would need either some more information or some specifics about which legislation she might be referring to.

 Anasina GRAY-BARBERIO (Northern Metropolitan) (12:41): Is it practice for you and your department when it comes to committees and advisory councils to sign non-disclosure agreements as part of the consultation processes? If it is common practice, Minister, how do you ensure impartiality amongst stakeholders if they are encouraged to sign NDAs?

The PRESIDENT: I think the end bit was a supplementary question.

 Lizzie BLANDTHORN (Western Metropolitan – Minister for Children, Minister for Disability) (12:41): I am not sure which of those questions was part of the substantive or indeed a supplementary, but I will seek some advice from my department. It is not something that I have personally required, and I will consult with the department in relation to their consultations.