Tuesday, 15 October 2019

 The PRESIDENT (13:06): Before we go to the second readings, I want to acquit some outstanding issues. I will go with the adjournment debate first, from the last sitting. I want to make a ruling in relation to an adjournment debate matter raised by Mr Finn on Wednesday, 11 September. The matter sought action from the Minister for Health relating to funding of the HealthWest primary care partnership in Footscray. This was one of four separate adjournment matters raised on the same day, all related to primary care partnership funding or possible cuts to funding. In response, the minister advised the house she would acquit all four matters with one response. The minister did so by advising the house there were no cuts to funding. Standing order 4.13(2) states that:

A minister may only dispose of the matter by giving a response at the time if they are the minister to whom the matter was directed.

The minister has met this requirement on this occasion. There are numerous rulings by past presidents that a minister may respond to an adjournment in a manner they deem appropriate and that the President is not in a position to advise the minister on how to respond to an adjournment matter. The minister advised the house she would dispense with all four matters, including Mr Finn’s. As such, I am not in a position to direct the minister to respond differently.