Ian Macdonald (Queensland, Liberal Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Northern and Remote Australia) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I seek leave to take note of the report presented by Senator McEwen into the Wild Rivers (Environment Management) Bill.

Carol Brown (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

You are seeking leave to move that the Senate take note of the Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee report on the wild rivers bill. Is leave granted?

Anne McEwen (SA, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Could I just clarify, Madam Acting Deputy President? It is my understanding that reports into bills are not normally debated in the chamber.

The Acting Deputy President:

You are correct, Senator, but leave can be granted. Is leave granted?

Chris Evans (WA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Government in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

We don’t normally. The bill’s coming on in the morning.

Ian Macdonald (Queensland, Liberal Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Northern and Remote Australia) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

That could well interfere with the running of the chamber for the duration of the day.

The Acting Deputy President:

Order! I am sorry, Senator Macdonald. Leave is not granted.

Guy Barnett (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Chairman of the Scrutiny of Government Waste Committee) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Madam Acting Deputy President, may I intervene here. Senator McEwen tabled the report on the Wild Rivers (Environmental Management) Bill and then immediately moved to the next report. I know that Senator Macdonald has been waiting patiently to speak to the report—he has been here for over an hour. I am not blaming anyone, but I am a little puzzled. Senator McEwen went straight from one report to another while Senator Macdonald was seeking the call, but he did not obtain it. Can the Clerk provide some advice on that, because my understanding is that Senator Macdonald is entitled to speak to the report.

The Acting Deputy President:

Senator Barnett, leave needs to be granted for Senator Macdonald to speak. I will ask again whether leave is granted.

Chris Evans (WA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Government in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I am always happy to facilitate the progress of the Senate, but the normal process is that we do not speak on bills. As I understand it, the opposition are bringing the bill on for debate tomorrow morning.

Opposition Senators:

Opposition senators interjecting—

Chris Evans (WA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Government in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I am told it is now tonight. Madam Acting Deputy President, if Senator Macdonald wants to talk to his whip, we can have a chat to our whip and we will see if we can progress something, but we do not normally grant leave for bills and we certainly do not grant leave on the same day we are bringing the bill on for debate. An agreement about a limited debate on the bill would seem to me to be seeking to undermine that debate. I am happy to suggest that Senator MacDonald talk to his whip who can then talk to our whip. We might come back if there is some sort of arrangement that they want to make.

The Acting Deputy President:

Thank you, Senator Evans. The question as to whether leave has been granted has been put. Leave has not been granted.

Ron Boswell (Queensland, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Madam Acting Deputy President, on a point of order: I understand that an agreement was made.

The Acting Deputy President:

Senator Boswell, leave has been requested and denied.