Chris Ellison (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Justice and Customs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I move:

That the following order operate as a temporary order until 30 June 2006:

If a division is called for on Thursday after 4.30 pm, the matter before the Senate shall be adjourned until the next day of sitting at a time fixed by the Senate.

Bob Brown (Tasmania, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The point here is that, presumably, this is becoming a part of a non-temporary order that is being extended by the government. I think that the Senate ought to look at that to determine whether it does become permanent or whether we revert to the standing orders as they are. Otherwise, we will be repeating this motion more down the line. That is just a request to the minister to have a look at it.

Andrew Bartlett (Queensland, Australian Democrats) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Briefly, I concur with those comments. Also, it is worth noting and reminding those who have forgotten the effort of the former Leader of the Government in the Senate last year to use the existence of this sessional order to bring in a motion without notice at 4.29 on a Thursday afternoon. It would be nice to at least have an assurance that that type of behaviour is not going to be repeated if we are going to be agreeing to these sorts of motions.

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

While everyone is contributing to this, I think this is a matter that can be referred to the Procedure Committee, for them to consider it. It was a sessional order that came from there. Those matters are usually dealt with there. We can certainly look to see how we can it get back to the Procedure Committee so they can give it some consideration.

Question agreed to.