Mr Tony Burke (Watson, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the House) Share this | Hansard source

As the Leader of the Opposition would know, because he's been here for a long time, when you move a resolution you say you move it, and you give the entirety of your speech. At whatever time you have finished your speech, you sit down. That can be right at the start. It can be at the end of the time limit. But when you sit down that's the end of your speech. At that point, you, as Speaker, would ordinarily ask, 'Is the motion seconded?' The seconder gets up, and at that point the seconder gives their speech, which will always begin with 'I second the motion', and then when they finish their speech they sit down.

I'd suggest we're in a situation now where the Leader of the Opposition, under the standing orders, has actually finished his speech—which was relatively short—and his alternative has seconded the motion and finished his speech too. It's an unusual approach to the debate, but for the Leader of the Opposition to now seek the call would be out of order.

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