Dr Brian Walker from the Legalise Cannabis Party has come up with a bold idea to improve parliament – get rid of Question Time.
Today the MLC, who is in his second term, will move a motion calling for Question Time to be abolished, accusing the Cook Government of using procedural rules to dodge accountability.
Dr Walker’s motion calls on the Procedure and Privileges Committee to consider reallocating that parliamentary time to committee work, where ministers can more easily be compelled to provide transparent answers.
Dr Walker said the Government had developed a habit of interpreting Standing Orders in ways designed to avoid answering questions that were politically inconvenient, and that people are beginning to notice.
“Question Time in this place has become a stage production, and it’s second-rate,” he said.
“The Government entertains questions it sees political mileage in answering, but when we ask the hard ones, we get treated to masterclasses in gibberish.
“This lack of accountability is degrading our democracy.
“I am not interested in tinkering with the Standing Orders. I am asking whether we should abolish this charade entirely and replace it with something that actually holds the Government to account,” he declared, before adding, “West Australians deserve better.”
Question Time is a cornerstone of the Westminster parliamentary system and is certainly theatrical. The hour-long sessions allow non-government MPs to ask questions of government ministers.
At the same time, the government gets to ask questions of itself, known as Dorothy Dixers, where they talk up their achievements. The name comes from a 19th century US columnist, Dorothy Dix, who was rumoured to make up her own questions to answer in her advice column.
While Question Time is often a farcical experience, we suspect Dr Walker’s motion is his own piece of political theatre.
