House debates

Monday, 17 August 2009

Business

3:54 pm

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

by leave—I move:

That:

(1)
for this sitting standing order 31 (automatic adjournment of the House) and standing order 33 (limit on business after 10 p.m.) be suspended;
(2)
for this sitting so much of the standing and sessional orders be suspended as would prevent government business having precedence from 8.30 p.m.; and
(2)
further to the resolution agreed to earlier today the following items have priority over government business until 1 p.m. on Tuesday, 18 August 2009: presentation of petitions until 12.10 p.m., then the Whips’ determinations for committee and delegation reports and private Members’ business in the House of Representatives Chamber from 8.40 p.m. on Monday, 17 August 2009.

For the benefit of members, the consequence of this motion being carried will be that we will be able to have the debate on the renewable energy target legislation in the parliament this evening. We are deferring, effectively, the private members’ business that was scheduled for tonight until 12 o’clock tomorrow so that we are not detracting from any preparations which I am sure have been made for that debate. We will then go on to government business tomorrow with the education legislation debate prior to question time. That will ensure also that there are no votes held in the House prior to question time tomorrow. This has been done in consultation and in full cooperation with the opposition, and I thank them for that. For the benefit of members and also staff of the parliament, we would hope that we will be able to complete the sittings this evening at a time which is as close to the normal finishing time as possible.

Question agreed to.