Dorothy Dixer 

A pre-planned question asked in Australian Parliament during question time, principally by backbenchers to frontbenchers of the majority party.

The questions can be used as a smoke screen, shiny diversion, indulgence in self-appreciation and to just generally to waste a nation's time.

"If the opposition is onto something, the government can always flood itself with dorothy dixers"

Dorothy Dixer by Xannon December 6, 2006