Senate debates Documents

Major and Local Community Infrastructure Program; Order for the Production of Documents


Maria Kovacic

Maria Kovacic NSW, Liberal Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Women

4:06 pm

I seek leave to amend general business notice of motion No. 755.

Leave granted.

At the request of Senator McKenzie, I move the motion as amended:

That the Senate—

(a) notes that:

(i) on Wednesday, 9 September 2026, the Senate agreed to orders for the production of documents nos 679 and 680, relating to projects as part of the Major and Local Community Infrastructure Program, requiring the Minister representing the Minister for Regional Development, Local Government and Territories and the Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government to comply by midday on Wednesday, 16 September 2026, and

(ii) the orders have not been complied with; and

(b) requires the Minister representing the Minister for Regional Development, Local Government and Territories and the Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government to attend the Senate on Wednesday 14 October 2026, immediately before government business is called on, to provide an explanation, of no more than

5 minutes, of the failure to comply with the orders, and that:

(i) any senator may move to take note of the explanation, and

(ii) any such motion may be debated for no longer than 30 minutes and shall have precedence over all other business until determined, and senators may speak to the motion for not more than 5 minutes each.

Katy Gallagher

Katy Gallagher ACT, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the Public Service

4:07 pm

I seek leave to make a short statement.

Slade Brockman

Slade Brockman Deputy-President

Of one minute?

Katy Gallagher

Katy Gallagher ACT, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the Public Service

Yes, of one minute.

Slade Brockman

Slade Brockman Deputy-President

You have the call.

Katy Gallagher

Katy Gallagher ACT, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the Public Service

I'll just, in the interest of time, give this statement once, but it relates to 755, 763 and 764. It's not the practice of the Senate to go straight from an OPD to calling for an attendance of the minister. These orders were complied with during the last sitting week, and an attendance in relation to this order would be an inappropriate use of the Senate's time.

Slade Brockman

Slade Brockman Deputy-President

The question is that the motion moved by Senator Kovacic be agreed to.