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

That the following matter be referred to the Procedure Committee for inquiry and report by 25 February 2009:

The temporary orders of the Senate of 15 October 2008 and 13 November 2008, relating to the abolition of questions to senators other than ministers and to chairs of committees, and the restructuring of question time.

Alan Ferguson (SA, Deputy-President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

by leave—All I want to say to Senator Ludwig is that, at the time the temporary orders were put into place, it was always decided that after a trial period it would go back to the Procedure Committee. It was always going to go back to the Procedure Committee. The Procedure Committee can meet at any time to review temporary orders. It was my intention as the chair to call a Procedure Committee hearing in the first week back anyway to discuss the trial. There is no problem with it being made a reference, but that was the intention as you will see by the following notice of motion where I have moved to continue the trial until such time as we get a chance to review it.

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

by leave—If it has the same effect, we could withdraw No. 9 and support yours. I am quite happy to do that. I seek leave to withdraw the motion.

Leave granted; motion withdrawn.