MPs asked to back schools inquiry

The federal opposition will test new rules and numbers in the parliament to push for
an inquiry into the controversial school building program.
Monday's sitting of parliament in Canberra will give MPs two hours to introduce
private legislation and present motions of interest, under new rules brought in to
secure minority government.
While the crossbench MPs who backed Prime Minister Julia Gillard have agreed to
deliver confidence and supply, they have not given any guarantees on other
legislation and motions.
Opposition frontbencher Christopher Pyne will present a bill to set up an inquiry
into the Building the Education Revolution program.
The program has been criticised for cost blow-outs.
Independent MP Rob Oakeshott said he believed that rather than the bill be put to a
vote immediately, it would be referred to a committee for scrutiny.
He said he hoped the new process would deliver good policy.
"It would be wise for all 150 MPs to allow the process to do its job and flush out
bad politics from good policy, and this is what the better parliament process will
hopefully do," Mr Oakeshott told AAP.
"We'll wait and see on this particular bill to see if it works."
Tasmanian independent MP Andrew Wilkie plans to push for better protection for
journalists who wish to keep their sources confidential without facing the prospect
of jail.
The policy - which is backed by the coalition - would create a "rebuttable
presumption" that journalists' confidential sources should remain confidential.
Those who want sources named would then have to persuade a judge to overturn the
law's presumption in favour of confidentiality.