Wendy Askew (Tasmania, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

At the request of Senator Hume, I move:

That there be laid on the table by the Minister for Industry and Innovation, by no later than midday on 1 December 2025, all electronic messages, texts, instant messages, emails or any other written material or media, received by the Minister for Industry and Innovation from Mr Glenn Thompson from 1 June 2025 and to date.

Jess Walsh (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Early Childhood Education) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I seek leave to make a short statement.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Leave is granted for one minute.

Jess Walsh (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Early Childhood Education) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The government will oppose this motion. A briefing has been offered on this issue that, I understand, has not yet been accepted. The number of OPDs has also doubled since the 2022 election, and the scope of these requests has also expanded significantly. The Senate has agreed an average of four OPDs per sitting day in the 48th Parliament, double the average of two per sitting day in the 47th Parliament and almost four times the average in the last term of the coalition government. On 27 August, the Senate agreed to 14 OPDs in a single day.

Peter Whish-Wilson (Tasmania, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I seek leave to make a short statement.

Leave granted.

I think that's seven times now we've heard the same spiel from the government. It's getting a little bit tiresome. Seriously, if we're going to get the same contribution from the government every time someone is requesting an OPD, individual senators should consider whether the government is denied leave for the same crappy spiel.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The question is that general business notice of motion No. 273, standing in the name of Senator Hume and moved by Senator Askew, be agreed to.