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

I move:

That the following matter be referred to the Procedure Committee for inquiry and report by 25 October 2010:

Consideration of the following amendments to Senate standing order 104 and recommendations for their implementation:

Standing order 104, relating to the correction of divisions, be amended to read as follows:

104  Correction of divisions

(1)

If there is misadventure, or in case of confusion or error concerning the numbers reported (unless it can be otherwise corrected), the Senate shall proceed to another division.

(2)

A division under this standing order must be taken as early as is convenient.

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

Mr President, I seek leave to make a short statement.

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

Leave is granted for two minutes.

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

I may have missed my opportunity but I note that the reporting date is 25 October. I am concerned that that is the first available day after the estimates week and the committee may find that having time to meet and report on the same day may not be possible. I was wondering whether Senator Brown might want to move the reporting date to Wednesday which at least allows the committee to meet on the Monday and report by the Wednesday giving an opportunity for people to be able to discuss the issue in the Procedure Committee and provide a report. I did not want to slow it down any further having regard to the intent that Senator Brown has with this issue.

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

by leave—I move the motion as amended:

That the following matter be referred to the Procedure Committee for inquiry and report by 27 October 2010:

Consideration of the following amendments to Senate standing order 104 and recommendations for their implementation:

Standing order 104, relating to the correction of divisions, be amended to read as follows:

104  Correction of divisions

(1)

If there is misadventure, or in case of confusion or error concerning the numbers reported (unless it can be otherwise corrected), the Senate shall proceed to another division.

(2)

A division under this standing order must be taken as early as is convenient.

Question agreed to.

by leave—I move the motion as amended:

That the following matter be referred to the Procedure Committee for inquiry and report by 27 October 2010:

Consideration of the following amendments to Senate standing orders and recommendations for their implementation:

That the following operate as a temporary order of the Senate until the end of the first sitting week in August 2011:

(1)

The routine of business on Mondays from 7.30 pm until 9.50 pm shall be consideration of general business orders of the day for the consideration of bills, in accordance with this order.

(2)

Each bill shall be considered under a limitation of debate as follows:

(a)

the time allotted for the remaining stages of each bill (or package of bills) shall be two hours; and

(b)

if there is a requirement under standing order 115 that a bill be considered in committee of the whole, the time allotted for the second reading of the bill (or bills) shall be one hour.

(3)

This order shall operate as an allocation of time under standing order 142.

(4)

Each senator speaking to a motion for the second reading or third reading of the bill (or bills) shall speak for not more than 10 minutes.

(5)

An amendment or request for an amendment to a bill considered under this order shall not be considered in committee of the whole unless it was circulated no later than 30 minutes after the commencement of consideration of the bill on that day.

(6)

If there is no requirement under standing order 115 that the bill (or bills) be considered in committee of the whole, the question for the third reading of the bill (or bills) shall be put without debate immediately after the second reading of the bill (or bills).

(7)

The order of bills for consideration shall be determined by the Senate.

It is intended that the order for the consideration of bills be determined by agreement between the opposition, minor parties and independent senators, in accordance with the usual practices of the Senate. This agreement would  be implemented by a motion at placing of business.

It is also intended that, if a senator is unable to speak to the motion for the second reading of a bill because of the expiration of the allotted time, the Senate will allow the incorporation of that senator’s speech in Hansard, subject to the usual practices of the Senate.

Question agreed to.