Mr Tony Burke (Watson, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for the Arts) Share this | Hansard source

I respect, Mr Speaker, that this is not the ordinary time that questions to the Speaker are asked. I understand that the Leader of the House is aware that I'm raising this as well. Given the circumstances of the ACT and lockdowns around the country, it is not impossible to imagine a situation where, at some point during this term, the standing order that allows an amendment to the manner and form of parliament may need to include within its principles a change to the required quorum. If that were to happen, depending on your ruling, we'd potentially have a problem. If there were to be an agreement between me and the Leader of the House on a change to quorum, what would matter is: at what point does that agreement take effect? Does it take effect when it's received by you or does it take effect when it's tabled in the House? If it doesn't take effect until it's tabled in the House, we'd need to get the old quorum to be able to then reduce it, which potentially could hit health issues. It was a long explanation, I know, but the question to you, Mr Speaker, is: for agreements between me and the Leader of the House under the standing orders on the manner and form provisions, at what point is your ruling that they would take effect?

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