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

I present a chart showing the program of sittings for 2013. Copies of the program have been placed on the table. I ask leave of the House to move that the program be agreed to.

Leave granted.

I move:

That the program of sittings for 2013 be agreed to.

The 2013 sitting pattern reflects a similar sitting pattern to this year—17 weeks. We are ensuring also that, in the first session, the Senate sits an extra week. I think something we can all agree on as House of Representatives members is that we want to ensure that the other place works as efficiently as this place does. So far in this parliament we have passed 436 pieces of legislation, including 182 this year. We have sat for just over 800 hours in 2012. On average, under Labor we have sat for 1,005 hours compared with an average of 771 hours under the coalition. This will enable members to plan appropriately. In the past, sitting timetables were often put on the table in mid-December. Under this government, that is not the case. I commend the sitting pattern to the House.

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