39 Question Time
In Question Time, members and senators (the legislature) question and scrutinise the Prime Minister and ministers in the government (the executive). Question Time is at 2.00pm every Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday when Parliament is sitting, and lasts for about one hour. Question Time occurs in both the House of Representatives and the Senate .
This photo shows Question Time in the House of Representatives and explains how the opposition and the government take it in turns to ask questions of ministers. Senate question time is very similar.
Order of events in Question Time
Members address questions without notice to particular ministers. Ministers do not know the questions that opposition members are going to ask, but they do know in advance the questions from their own party. They have time to prepare their answers. Questions alternate between government and opposition members. Questions are usually about what the government is doing and current issues. Often questions refer to reports in the media. Government and opposition members ask different types of questions. The focus of Question Time is on the executive government. The executive is scrutinised about how it is running government and the nation.
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More information
House of Representatives Practice: Chapter 15: Questions
http://www.aph.gov.au/house/pubs/PRACTICE/chapter15.htm