Joe Ludwig (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Manager of Government Business in the Senate) Share this | Hansard source

by leave—This is a temporary order that has been put in place at about this time every year for the last couple of years. There are three parts to it. The first part is to reintroduce for next year the adjournment debate on Tuesdays, where there has been agreement—and it tends to work around the chamber—so that we can have an open-ended adjournment where possible on Tuesday nights which allows senators to speak for 10 minutes and then for 20 minutes on one occasion. The second part of it relates to Thursday nights, where there are no divisions and no quorums after 4.30 pm on a Thursday, except at times like tomorrow. That has been in place for some time to allow the Senate to work through for those people who want to—I will not go there. The third part is the substitution of members on committees. That has been there to allow substitution, to ensure that under standing order 25 we can deal with committee appointments and those where there is substitution of members. I am sure, Senator Brown, with those few words, it all floods back!

Question agreed to.