Mr Tony Burke (Watson, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations) Share this | Hansard source

I move:

That so much of the standing and sessional orders be suspended as would prevent the following from occurring in relation to proceedings on the Help to Buy Bill 2023 and the Help to Buy (Consequential Provisions) Bill 2023:

(1) on Tuesday, 27 February when the order of the day relating to the second reading debate on the Help to Buy Bill 2023 is called on following the matter of public importance, a cognate debate taking place with the Help to Buy (Consequential Provisions) Bill 2023, and continuing without interruption until:

(a) no further Members rise to speak, at which point, debate being adjourned; or

(b) the commencement of the adjournment debate at 7.30 pm;

(2) notwithstanding standing order 31, if the second reading debate has not concluded earlier, at 8 pm the adjournment debate being interrupted and the bills being called on for further consideration, with the second reading debate continuing until:

(a) no further Members rise to speak; or

(b) 10 pm; or

(c) a later time, specified by a Minister prior to 10 pm;

at which point, debate being adjourned and the House immediately adjourning until Wednesday, 28 February at 9 am;

(3) on Wednesday, 28 February when the order of the day relating to the second reading debate on the Help to Buy Bill 2023 is called on following the matter of public importance, a cognate debate taking place with the Help to Buy (Consequential Provisions) Bill 2023, and continuing without interruption until debate concludes or no later than 5.30 pm, at which point:

(a) questions being immediately put on any amendments moved to the motion for the second reading and on the second reading of the bill, and any message from the Governor-General under standing order 147 being announced;

(b) any questions necessary to complete the remaining stages of the bill being put without amendment or debate; and

(4) following the conclusion of proceedings on the Help to Buy Bill 2023, the Help to Buy (Consequential Provisions) Bill 2023 being immediately called on, and any questions necessary to complete the remaining stages of the bill being put without amendment or debate; and

(5) any variation to this arrangement being made only on a motion moved by a Minister.

For the information of members, if you look at the pace at which this debate has been going, while allowing people their full speaking time, a whole lot of people have been going short. I expect we'll probably be able to come close to finishing the debate tonight. If we're able to do that, it will leave time tomorrow for a much longer consideration in detail period than we've had for any other bill. I expect that would be more than enough.

This motion simply says that, at 5.30 pm, if there are any remaining procedures to take place, they would take place at that point in consecutive occurrence. The reasons we're doing this on Wednesday rather than leaving it to Thursday are twofold. One is that, by going late tonight, we should have more than enough time for everyone to speak, including people who want to go for their full speaking time. Secondly, on Thursday—and I'll move the motion for this tomorrow—we have the address from President Marcos, which means capacity to finish the legislation at that point won't be available. I commend the motion to the House.

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