Parliament Question time

[Bully]

Whats everyones thoughts on this question time?

I just see it as the oppostion etc asking questions and then the in government have a chance of a slugging match with no able for a slug back from the opposition etc.

It should be - ask a question and then its answered withing a minute or so...not bring up old policies and drag on about it for 10 minutes. Wasnt this ment to be changed when the last election was done ? Didnt the indepedents want this like this to be ask a question and then a straight answer when they had the choice of what government gets in...not a ten minute slug on the last five years or the last previous government?

[Sky Pilot]

Its a sham and theatre for the glitterati who care to tune in. What pisses me off - and I have sat in the gallery and watched first hand - that government backbenchers ask loaded questions to ministers whose staff have furnished all the right answers before hand. Then it is the opposition's chance to ask one back and they are usually directed to the PM or a senior minister who NEVER answer! They just twist the question and end up making a long painful drawn out irrelevant reply to wash the clock down. It is a complete waste of time and the current speaker Harry Jenkins is a real pro at letting those on his right get away with murder. I must say the clashes between Albanese and Pyne are a real treat so long as the viewer knows that Pyne will always lose and Albanese will always win.
Its the same no matter which side is in power IMO

[Psyber]

I agree, both parties use it to slag each other rather than ask and answer real questions.
Apart from that there are, of course, the endless "Dorothy Dix" questions, serving the same purpose.
It is just a propaganda exercise and serves no useful purpose..

[Bully]

there was one question that abbott asked yesterday, and it was a quick civil 25 second answer by the PM. No slagging or name calling. If this was always like this then alot more questions would be asked and things might be achieved in the parliament.

[Sky Pilot]

Parliament is not primarily there to achieve anything. What a quaint idea though

[Bully]

not meaning that question time re invents the wheel and things and signed on the bottom line, im just meaning that things may eventuate and from there things could be quickly agreed on and finalised

[Psyber]

I suggested to a lawyer friend recently that one of the problems is that there are so many lawyers in parliament and that what they care about most, because of their training and their career experience, is winning the argument, and not primarily about achieving a good final outcome, and Question Time demonstrates this.
After brief reflection he said he agreed.