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

I move:

That so much of the standing and sessional orders be suspended as would prevent the following from occurring:

(1) on Tuesday, 23 June 2026:

(a) immediately following the discussion of a matter of public importance, the order of the day for the resumption of the debate on the Treasury Laws Amendment (Fuel Excise Relief No. 2) Bill 2026 being called on, and:

(i) at 5 pm, or if the debate concludes earlier, questions being put immediately on any second reading amendments and on the second reading of the bill;

(ii) if a detail stage is required, any amendments circulated being treated as if they had been moved [together] by the Member proposing them with:

(A) one question to be put immediately on any government amendments;

(B) one question to be put immediately on any opposition amendments; and

(C) separate questions to be put immediately on any sets of amendments circulated by crossbench Members; and

(iii) the questions necessary to complete the remaining stages of the bill being put immediately;

(b) at 5 pm, or immediately following proceedings on the Treasury Laws Amendment (Fuel Excise Relief No. 2) Bill 2026 if concluded between 5 pm and 5.30 pm, the Speaker proposing—That the House do now adjourn—and debate on the question continuing until 5.30 pm, at which time the House standing adjourned until 9 am on Wednesday, 24 June 2026;

(c) if proceedings on the Treasury Laws Amendment (Fuel Excise Relief No. 2) Bill 2026 conclude after 5.30 pm, once concluded, the House immediately standing adjourned until 9 am on Wednesday, 24 June 2026;

(d) any divisions called for during debate on the adjournment question being deferred until the first opportunity the next sitting day; and

(e) the Federation Chamber standing automatically adjourned at no later than 5 pm;

(2) on Wednesday, 24 June 2026, if not completed earlier, immediately following the conclusion of the discussion of a matter of public importance, debate on the Workplace Relations Legislation Amendment (Building Cooperative Workplaces No. 1) Bill 2026 being resumed, and:

(a) at 5.30 pm, or if the debate concludes earlier, the questions being put immediately on any second reading amendments and on the second reading of the bill;

(b) if a detail stage is required, any amendments circulated being treated as if they had been moved [together] by the Member proposing them with:

(i) one question to be put on any government amendments;

(ii) one question to be put on any opposition amendments; and

(iii) separate questions to be put on any sets of amendments circulated by crossbench Members;

(c) debate on any amendments provided for under paragraph (2)(b) being limited to up to five minutes for the mover and up to five minutes for a minister speaking in reply;

(d) the questions necessary to complete the remaining stages of the bill being put immediately; and

(e) deferral of divisions not applying during proceedings on this bill;

(3) during consideration of the Treasury Laws Amendment (Fuel Excise Relief No. 2) Bill 2026 and the Workplace Relations Legislation Amendment (Building Cooperative Workplaces No. 1) Bill 2026, motions other than amendments to the motions for the second reading, or detail amendments, to either bill, not being permitted except for motions moved by a Minister; and

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

I expect there will be some parts of this that are supported unanimously, including for us to be able to get to the War Memorial this evening. I know we'll come to a vote fairly shortly, I suspect, because there are some parts of it that won't have the unanimous support of the House. But I want to make clear from the outset it's understood that everybody would be supportive of the early finish for the War Memorial. I just think it's important to say that.

I'll explain what this resolution means for the rest of the week, because it has a number of changes in how the House will operate. First of all, we're in an unusual situation for the budget sittings. Normally, when the budget sittings finish, we are still in the current financial year. Whereas this time, in terms of the Senate, getting some legislation that has to get through this financial year creates a different circumstance. So, for the order of debate, this resolution means that the excise bill would go through all of its stages today. If there are divisions, and I presume there will, at least, be a second reading amendment, they will commence at 5 pm and then go through all stages. If we finish before 5.30, then we would still have the ordinary adjournment debate speeches until 5.30, and, at the moment we get to 530, the House would adjourn. So the usual practice of being able to get through six adjournment speeches I think certainly won't happen, but there may well be time for a couple. But at 5.30 the House will conclude today.

Tomorrow, we will be dealing with the workplace relations bill. That will be debated until 1.30 and interrupted for 90-second statements, question time and the MPI, as usual. Following the MPI, debate on that bill will recommence, and at 5.30 we would go through a period of votes. I suspect there will be amendments in detail on that bill. For each of those, where there's an amendment in detail, the mover would have five minutes and the minister would have five minutes to respond. I suspect we will still get through all of that before 6.30, but if we don't, it is possible that we would continue having divisions beyond 6.30. They would not be postponed—divisions under this motion. We'd continue doing that until we finish with the bill. But then, once we've finished with the bill, the normal rules would apply in terms of no further divisions or quorum calls taking place.

The final thing, I can just advise members—this is not part of what's in front of us, but is for people planning their diaries—it is likely that the House will remain here on Thursday while we are waiting for messages from the Senate. For people who would normally be keen to get flights, particularly those who have significant distances to travel, I'd rather let them know now the likelihood that we are here beyond 5 pm on Thursday is high while we wait for messages from the Senate.

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