Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Hansard source

I thank the Leader of the House and I thank the Manager of Opposition Business for raising this issue. I have read both of the statements made by the now shadow minister on 29 October 2020, and I have listened to almost everything the Treasurer said. I do want to address this issue so that the House can move forward, because we will be having further ministerial statements.

I echo what the then Manager of Opposition Business said on that date, 29 October, when he advised the House that ministerial statements do occur through leave—and this is for the benefit of new members as well—and when that leave is granted then leave is also automatically granted to the opposition—in this case the shadow Treasurer, the Leader of the Opposition or the relevant shadow minister. The convention is that copies are provided in advance, and I understand the Treasurer did that in compliance with that arrangement.

But the purpose of ministerial statements is to announce government policies or matters for which the minister concerned is responsible. I want to make this clear: there is no flexibility, tolerance or capacity to talk about anything other than that. So think of it like this: think forwards, not backwards. When you are announcing a ministerial statement, you talk about the policies that you are announcing because it is a courtesy the House has given to the relevant minister—and the shadow minister as well.

I want to point this out to the Treasurer and to all future ministerial statements. While I agree with the Manager of Opposition Business there were some political undertones in the Treasurer's speech, these were given for context purposes. As this is the first ministerial statement to the House, I listened carefully. In making a decision now, I want to be crystal clear: ministerial statements are not to be political statements, and this is outlined very clearly and very concisely in the Practice. I would refer new members to pages 501 and 502. I hope that clarifies the matter moving forward.

I thank the Manager of Opposition Business, and I now call the member for Hume.

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