The Questions a Citizen Can Ask at a Public Hearing

The checklist

1. Budget line question – Ask which line in the budget record covers the project or service the hearing discusses.
2. Bill clause question – Ask which clause in the bill sets the rule or the procedure the hearing examines.
3. Spending record question – Ask for the public record that shows how much money the office spent on the project in the last financial year.
4. Timeline question – Ask when the office plans to start the work, when it plans to finish, and what the milestones are.
5. Beneficiary question – Ask which community, which ward, or which local government area the project serves.
6. Cost breakdown question – Ask for the itemised list of costs: materials, labour, administration, and any other charges.
7. Contractor question – Ask for the name of the firm or the person awarded the contract, and the method used to select them.
8. Monitoring question – Ask how the office plans to track the work, who will visit the site, and how often the office will report to the public.
9. Next steps question – Ask what the office will do after the hearing, when it will make a decision, and how it will communicate that decision.
10. Written answer question – Ask if the office will provide a written answer to the questions the citizen puts on the record.

Why each item matters

Budget line question – This question ties the discussion to a specific part of the budget. Without it, the hearing can drift from the actual allocation.

Bill clause question – This question grounds the discussion in the text of the law. It prevents the hearing from debating opinions instead of the proposed rule.

Spending record question – This question asks for the evidence of past performance. It shows whether the office has a history of delivering on similar projects.

Timeline question – This question sets a public schedule. It gives the community dates to watch for.

Beneficiary question – This question defines who the project is for. It ensures the discussion stays focused on the people the project serves.

Cost breakdown question – This question seeks transparency in pricing. It helps the public see where the money goes.

Contractor question – This question addresses procurement. It asks how the office selected the person or firm that will do the work.

Monitoring question – This question asks for the plan to watch the work. It moves the discussion from promise to follow-up.

Next steps question – This question asks what happens after the hearing ends. It seeks a clear path from discussion to decision.

Written answer question – This question seeks a formal record. A written answer from the office becomes a public document the citizen can keep and share.

What to do with the completed list

A citizen takes this checklist to the public hearing. They mark the questions they ask. They note the answers the office gives. They keep the marked checklist as a record of their participation. They can share the record with their community association or with a civil society organisation like WATAG. The record shows what the citizen asked and what the office said in reply.

What WATAG does with this

The Government Accountability programme trains women to prepare questions for public hearings. Participants in the programme walk through a budget record or a bill. They practise writing questions for each line or clause. They learn how to ask a question in a public meeting and how to note the answer. The programme uses this checklist to show participants the range of questions a citizen can put to a public office.