The President has received a letter from Senator Mason proposing that a definite matter of public importance be submitted to the Senate for discussion, namely:

The Rudd Government’s annus horribilis of missed opportunities, broken promises, and absence of genuine leadership.

I call upon those senators who approve of the proposed discussion to rise in their places.

More than the number of senators required by the standing orders having risen in their places—

I understand that informal arrangements have been made to allocate specific times to each of the speakers in today’s debate. With the concurrence of the Senate, I shall ask the clerks to set the clock accordingly.