Tuesday, 3 February 2026

The Clerk: Finally, I table a letter from the Attorney-General dated 26 January 2026, in response to a resolution of the Council on 3 December 2025 on the motion of Mr Limbrick relating to market research services for the machete prohibition campaign. The letter states that the date for production does not allow sufficient time to respond and that the government will endeavour to provide a final response to the order as soon as possible.

David Davis: On a point of order, President, at least four of the letters the Clerk has read out were dated 11 December. That is almost two months ago, and there could well be further activity. What on earth is the government doing? It may be that the minister is able to enlighten us on those four documents: Victorian roads, alternative to demolition of public housing sites, the SEC meetings and the Department of Premier and Cabinet opinion polling. It is two months since those letters were sent to the chamber, so maybe the minister can enlighten us as to what has happened in those two months.

Ryan Batchelor: Further on the point of order, for maybe the fourth or fifth time today Mr Davis has used the opportunity to take a point of order to debate something or ask a further question or make a contribution. I think it is a sustained and gross abuse of the standing orders.

The PRESIDENT: Mr Batchelor’s point that people should not use points of order as a point of debate is correct. Mr Davis, I am not too sure if any minister at the table here has any knowledge of the Attorney-General’s actions as far as progressing any of this goes, so I think that –

David Davis: On the matter of the public housing sites, this minister may actually be able to shed some light.

The PRESIDENT: I think it is very difficult for a minister to respond to a letter from another minister, so we will leave it at that.