25:
187:'s reputed practice of making up her own questions to allow her to publish more interesting answers. "Dorothy Dixer" has been used in Australian politics since the 1950s, and has become increasingly common in everyday usage, although the term is now frequently shortened to "Dixer". However, the term is virtually unknown in other countries where Dix's column was equally popular.
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themselves or the work of the
Government, or to criticise the opposition party's policies, to raise the profile of the backbench Member asking the question, or to consume the time available for questioning and thereby avoid tougher questions. It is a common and widely accepted tactic during Question Time in the
231:
It is common practice for a minister to have a government backbencher ask a pre-arranged question which can be answered in such a way as to praise the government or exploit a weakness in the
Opposition. Such 'Dorothy Dix' questions (after the syndicated 'advice' column which once appeared in popular
147:
The term can be used in a mildly derogatory sense, but in common usage today is simply pre-arranged questions from a friendly audience member. Often, the question has been written by the
Minister or their staff rather than by the questioner, and is used to give the Minister a chance to promote
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While it is rare, it would be possible for a backbencher on the
Government side of the house to ask a member of the Government a question without it being regarded as a Dorothy Dixer. Such a question would be one that the Minister had not planted and was not aware of in advance.
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abolished
Dorothy Dixers, replacing them instead with ministers' statements, where ministers are granted up to two minutes during question time to advise parliament on new government initiatives, projects and achievements.
175:
require. These questions or the answers to them are often based upon, refer to, or build upon, party line propaganda written earlier in the day by ideologically friendly members of the news media.
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It is common for "Dorothy Dixers" to end in the question: "Is the
Minister aware of any alternative policies?" This enables the responding Minister to launch into extended criticism of the
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A growing number of questions are of the 'Dorothy-Dix' type (from the government backbench) and attempts to win political points (from both sides of the house).
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is a rehearsed or planted question asked of a government
Minister by a
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The term is also used (as a "Dorothy Dix" or just a "Dorothy") as
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432:(3rd ed.). South Melbourne: Pitman Publishing. p. 67.
407:(2nd ed.). Melbourne: Longman Cheshire. p. 231.
378:"Victoria Parliament's Dorothy Dixers set to be dumped"
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49:. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
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183:The term references American advice columnist
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294:Kel Richards' Dictionary of Phrase and Fable
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109:Learn how and when to remove this message
351:"Vic parliament to scrap Dorothy Dixers"
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376:Willingham, Richard (8 February 2015).
262:"Dorothy Dix question or Dorothy Dixer"
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405:An Introduction to Australian Politics
223:and Brian Jinks observe in their book
205:An Introduction to Australian Politics
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47:adding citations to reliable sources
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1263:Political terminology in Australia
764:State and Territory Shadow Cabinet
428:Aitken, Don; Jinks, Brian (1985).
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430:Australian Political Institutions
225:Australian Political Institutions
326:"Victoria to ban Dorothy Dixers"
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34:needs additional citations for
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357:. Special Broadcasting Service
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754:Premiers and Chief Ministers
749:Governors and Administrators
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297:. UNSW Press. p. 80.
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1207:Parliamentary secretary
1177:Independent politicians
169:character assassination
1227:Responsible government
1127:Contempt of parliament
580:Statute of Westminster
403:Jaensch, Dean (1984).
291:Richards, Kel (2013).
266:Parliamentary glossary
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192:Parliament of Victoria
481:Politics of Australia
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1182:Kirribilli agreement
1167:Hardworking Families
1122:Chardonnay socialist
43:improve this article
1162:Group voting ticket
123:Australian politics
1232:Stolen Generations
1147:Double dissolution
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990:Western Australia
556:Opposition Leader
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272:on 17 May 2013
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32:This article
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1152:Faceless men
1141:
1132:Despatch box
1102:Bjelkemander
717:By-elections
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575:Constitution
568:Lower Courts
489:Commonwealth
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386:. Retrieved
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274:. Retrieved
270:the original
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209:Dean Jaensch
204:
203:In his book
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99:January 2024
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41:Please help
36:verification
33:
1202:Nationalism
1187:Langer vote
1137:Donkey vote
1089:terminology
741:governments
722:Referendums
244:for a six.
219:Similarly,
185:Dorothy Dix
131:backbencher
1212:Playmander
1087:Political
1077:Historical
1062:One Nation
1005:Political
950:Queensland
922:government
563:High Court
541:Parliament
388:19 October
361:19 October
335:19 October
248:References
221:Don Aitkin
211:observes:
165:Opposition
69:newspapers
1015:Coalition
818:elections
597:elections
330:Nine News
310:22 August
276:22 August
1257:Category
1217:Pub test
1097:Battlers
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980:Victoria
970:Tasmania
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898:Tas 2028
893:NSW 2027
888:Vic 2026
873:Qld 2024
868:ACT 2024
856:Tas 2024
851:NSW 2023
846:Vic 2022
831:Qld 2020
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729:Timeline
605:Pre-1972
595:Federal
529:Ministry
355:SBS News
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878:WA 2025
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240:in
121:In
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1021:,
806:NT
791:SA
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