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

At the request of Senator Bragg, I seek leave to amend general business notice of motion No. 275 in the terms circulated.

Leave granted.

I move the motion as amended:

That there be laid on the table by the Minister representing the Minister for Housing, by no later than midday on Thursday, 27 November 2025, all documents related to the funding agreements secured and/or agreed concerning round 2 of the Housing Australia Future Fund.

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 not be supporting this motion. Negotiations with states and territories and other housing delivery stakeholders are underway and are commercial-in-confidence—

Andrew Bragg (NSW, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Housing and Homelessness) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

More secrecy!

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

It's very important that you listen. This OPD would compromise those negotiations. Furthermore, the original OPD had a compliance date of 7 pm tomorrow, Wednesday 26 November. Senator Bragg has amended the motion at the last minute to provide an additional 17 hours, which does not make a material difference to the unreasonableness of this motion. The short timeframe of this OPD means it would not be possible to comply with it. The number of OPDs has also doubled since the 2022 election, and the scope of these requests has expanded significantly. The Senate has agreed an average of four OPDs per sitting day—

Opposition senators interjecting—

I think people want me to slow down; that's what I'm hearing—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.

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

Order, Senator Bragg! I've said 'Order!' three times. Not only are you incredibly disrespectful; it's an even bigger offence to call out and interject when you're not in your correct spot. That goes for people on my left, too, who were also interjecting. The question is that general business notice of motion No. 275, standing in the name of Senator Bragg, as amended, and moved by Senator Askew, be agreed to.