House debates

Thursday, 18 June 2020

Resolutions of the Senate

COVID-19: Arts and Entertainment Industry; Consideration of Senate Message

10:12 am

Photo of Rob MitchellRob Mitchell (McEwen, Australian Labor Party) Share this | | Hansard source

The Speaker has received the following message from the Senate:

The Senate transmits to the House of Representatives the following resolution which was agreed to by the Senate:

That the Senate—

(a) notes that:

  (i) it has been more than three months since COVID-19 physical distancing rules effectively shut down the arts and entertainment industry overnight;

  (ii) hundreds of thousands of workers in the arts and entertainment industry have been impacted; and

  (iii) the Morrison Government has not announced any specific industry assistance for arts and entertainment; and

(b) calls on the Morrison Government to detail and deliver a recovery package for the arts and entertainment industry.

The Senate requests the concurrence of the House of Representatives in this resolution.

Ordered that the message be considered immediately.

Photo of Alan TudgeAlan Tudge (Aston, Liberal Party, Minister for Population, Cities and Urban Infrastructure) Share this | | Hansard source

I move:

That consideration of the message be made an order of the day for the next sitting.

Photo of Adam BandtAdam Bandt (Melbourne, Australian Greens) Share this | | Hansard source

I move:

That all words after 'That' be omitted with a view to substituting the following words 'That the message be considered immediately.'

It has been a fortnight since the Prime Minister announced a package would be coming for the entertainment industry—

Photo of Rob MitchellRob Mitchell (McEwen, Australian Labor Party) Share this | | Hansard source

The member for Melbourne will resume his seat.

Photo of Alan TudgeAlan Tudge (Aston, Liberal Party, Minister for Population, Cities and Urban Infrastructure) Share this | | Hansard source

I move:

That the member be no longer heard.

Photo of Tony SmithTony Smith (Speaker) Share this | | Hansard source

The question is that the Leader of the Greens be no further heard.

10:20 am

Photo of Tony SmithTony Smith (Speaker) Share this | | Hansard source

Is the motion seconded?

Photo of Zali SteggallZali Steggall (Warringah, Independent) Share this | | Hansard source

I second this motion. The arts play a central part in the way we live—

Photo of Tony SmithTony Smith (Speaker) Share this | | Hansard source

The member for Warringah will resume her seat. The Leader of the House?

Photo of Christian PorterChristian Porter (Pearce, Liberal Party, Attorney-General) Share this | | Hansard source

I move:

That the question be put.

Photo of Tony SmithTony Smith (Speaker) Share this | | Hansard source

The Leader of the House has moved that the question be put.

10:23 am

Photo of Tony SmithTony Smith (Speaker) Share this | | Hansard source

The question now is that the motion moved by the minister be agreed to. The Leader of the Greens on a point of order?

Photo of Adam BandtAdam Bandt (Melbourne, Australian Greens) Share this | | Hansard source

I understand that the point was made yesterday about a gag being moved midway through, but I moved an amendment and that amendment was seconded so the question should—

Photo of Adam BandtAdam Bandt (Melbourne, Australian Greens) Share this | | Hansard source

When the minister moved that the question be put, the question before the House was my amendment.

Photo of Tony SmithTony Smith (Speaker) Share this | | Hansard source

Yes, but until that question, as I said yesterday, has been moved, seconded and then I have stated that it is the question before the House, it is not the question. The question before the House is the original question. It's made very, very clear in the House of Representatives Practice, with all the precedents, that a closure motion can be moved during the moving of an amendment, the seconding of an amendment, until such time as that seconding is complete and I say, 'The question is that the amendment be agreed to.' Up until that point, the closure applies.

I know the member for Melbourne has raised this a number of times. I suggest that he has a close look at the page in Practice with all the precedents.

Photo of Mr Tony BurkeMr Tony Burke (Watson, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for the Arts) Share this | | Hansard source

That being the case, it would be appreciated if you could restate the actual question that is before us, because it's my understanding that if there's a no vote on the question that's now before us it would have the same impact as the amendment would have had.

Photo of Tony SmithTony Smith (Speaker) Share this | | Hansard source

The question before the House is the original question moved by the minister: that consideration of the message be made an order of the day for the next sitting.

Photo of Mr Tony BurkeMr Tony Burke (Watson, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for the Arts) Share this | | Hansard source

So it effectively puts off the consideration of the issue.

Photo of Tony SmithTony Smith (Speaker) Share this | | Hansard source

It does exactly what the motion says; it's an order of the day for the next sitting. I hope that clarifies things for the member for Melbourne. I will send around the page; it's probably easier if I do that. So the question is that the motion moved by the minister that consideration of the message be made an order of the day for the next sitting be agreed to.