Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the House) Share this | Hansard source

What is relevant is that we have been cooperative with regard to the facilitation of votes on private members' motions and also on bills. The cooperation of the government is required in order to allow votes to occur in private members' business. It is something that has not happened in the past; it is something that did not happen under the Howard government for 12 years. We have a very clear process, which is that members put motions on the Notice Paper and they then go to the Selection Committee—there is a proper process here.

If the member for Sturt wishes his private member's motion to be determined, then the appropriate thing is for it to go to the Selection Committee. That is the process that we all have agreed on. That is the process that has been applied without fear or favour. That is the process in which I have facilitated votes on private members' motions, whether the government was in a majority or not. But this situation will stop it occurring. It will stop the proper process; it will undermine the Selection Committee. It will mean that whether there are to be votes on private members' business will no longer be determined by the Selection Committee but be determined in a partisan way. I say to the Manager of Opposition Business that I, as Leader of the House, have a fair bit of say over whether that occurs or not. This is ill considered and it should be rejected. (Time expired)

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