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House of Assembly - Fifty-Fourth Parliament, First Session (54-1)
2019-06-04 Daily Xml
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Matter of Privilege

Ms STINSON (Badcoe) (11:09): I rise on a matter of privilege. On the last day this place sat, Thursday 16 May, during question time I asked the Minister for Child Protection the following question:

Is the minister outsourcing the assessment of foster or kinship carers to a Victorian company, Assessments Australia, or any other private or non-government organisations?

The minister answered 'No.' That was the minister's complete answer. This response is demonstrably false. We on this side say the minister has intentionally misled this house. The response of a flat-out no, when the answer is yes, can only be seen as impeding or obstructing the house in the discharge of—

The Hon. V.A. CHAPMAN: Point of order: raising a question of privilege is to identify the evidence that is to be presented to support that, not an argument about what is demonstrably untrue or not. That is a matter for you, Mr Speaker.

The SPEAKER: I am going to say this once: if I feel that the member for Badcoe is deviating from what a matter of privilege should entail, then I will intervene and only I will intervene.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: I have not finished. It is reasonable that members do provide, much to the displeasure of some, some preamble sometimes to these matters, so I will listen carefully to make sure that I capture that. Obviously, that will be reined in if it is abused, but I will listen carefully to all the matters of privilege, as I have done in the past and as I will continue to do. I appreciate the Deputy Premier's sentiments and I will be listening carefully, but the member for Badcoe is able to provide me with some relevant basis for the matter of privilege so that I can adjudicate on whether a prima facie case may or may not exist. Member for Badcoe.

Ms STINSON: Thank you, Mr Speaker. I know that you are fond of McGee and Parliamentary Practice in New Zealand and, as we heard only moments ago from your very lips, it states that the test for a matter of privilege is defined as a matter that can, and I quote—

Members interjecting:

Ms STINSON: Honestly!

The SPEAKER: The Deputy Premier will be seated. The member for Badcoe, let's get to the point. I am aware of what the test is; please get on with it, thank you.

Ms STINSON: I quote:

…genuinely be regarded as tending to impede or obstruct the House in the discharge of its duties.

The misleading and indeed false response of the Minister for Child Protection is a stark example of such impeding and obstruction.

An honourable member: This is outrageous.

The SPEAKER: The member for Kavel can leave for five minutes.

The honourable member for Kavel having withdrawn from the chamber:

Ms STINSON: Firstly, it clearly obstructs and impedes the house for a mistruth to be told. That in itself is an impediment to the integrity and smooth running of this house. Secondly, were it not for the untrue statement, follow-up questions would have been asked by the opposition. That opportunity was lost. That is a clear obstruction and impediment to the work of this house, not to mention the opposition's duty to hold the government to account on behalf of the people. Thirdly, this wanton misleading of the house demonstrates not just a disregard but a contempt for the validity and integrity of this place. I will of course provide documents to you, Mr Speaker; however, this question is one of such obviousness that one would hope that the minister simply owns up to the falsehood. For some time, the assessment—

The Hon. V.A. Chapman: Get to the evidence.

Ms STINSON: I am getting to the end here. For some time, the assessment of foster carers has been done by external agencies, including not-for-profit groups, that recruit foster carers.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

Ms STINSON: This is not a difficult fact to verify. However, the minister responded, no, that foster carer assessments are not outsourced to private or non-government organisations. Secondly, the Victorian-based company Assessments Australia is and has been completing kinship care assessments for the department. Why else would their website have forms with the Department for Chid Protection logos on them for department workers to refer kinship carers to Assessments Australia for assessment? I have that document and I will submit it to you, sir. The minister has misled the house. We ask you to consider the material, make inquiries with the minister and rule on this stark example as a matter of privilege.

The SPEAKER: Thank you, member for Badcoe. I ask the member for Badcoe to please present me with all relevant evidence that she has in her possession and I will come back to the house at a reasonable time.

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