House debates Parliamentary Representation
Qualifications of Members
Mr Tony Burke Watson, Australian Labor Party, Manager of Opposition Business (House)
10:10 am
Consistent with the resolution of the House on 4 December 2017, I move:
That pursuant to section 376 of the Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918, the House of Representatives refer the following questions to the Court of Disputed Returns:
(1) whether by reason of section 44 of the Constitution, the place of the member for Dickson, Mr Dutton, has become vacant;
(2) if the answer to question one is yes, by what means and in what manner that vacancy should be filled;
(3) what directions and other orders, if any, the court should make in order to hear and finally dispose of this reference; and
(4) what, if any, orders should be made as to the costs of these proceedings?
The arguments for this have already been well-versed in question time and in the public arena. I don't propose to add to them further.
Tony Smith Speaker
The question is that motion moved by the Manager of Opposition Business be agreed to.