Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Hansard source

Yes, a point of order, Mr Speaker. It is along the lines which I indicated to you when the division was called. We have unusual circumstances here, whereby the government has just moved to gag me, to stop me from speaking and participation in this debate. Having moved a suspension to bring on this very debate, they've then shut it down.

The circumstances are these: if, then, the motion isn't seconded, what will the circumstances be, whether we come back and debate it another day or whether a disallowance takes effect if it's not dealt with by the House? The government has chosen not to deal with it on the 11 days. We have tried to suspend standing orders in the past to deal with these regulations, going as far back as June. I seek your advice, Mr Speaker, as to what the circumstances would be if the motion isn't seconded. If the government wants to shut down debate, as happens every time I stand to my feet at the dispatch box, then it's up to them—of course, they have the numbers to do that. But I'm raising the issue of what the consequences of that are in terms of debate and outcomes in this House—in this particular example, what the implications would be for the disallowance motion that they seemed to be keen on half an hour ago but now want to shut down and not have a debate about.

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