Sharon Claydon (Newcastle, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

Before I call the minister to propose the schedule for the order of consideration of the portfolios, I would like to remind all members of the purpose of the consideration in detail stage and outline the way in which it is expected to proceed. Shortly, the Federation Chamber will be asked to agree to a proposed schedule for consideration of portfolios. This may need to be varied, but it is a useful guide to assist ministers and members to arrange their commitments.

Consideration in detail is a debate, and the call will be alternated between government and non-government sides as always. Even though this debate sometimes takes the format of question and answer, this is not question time. Ministers and government backbench members, both, will be considered as speakers on the government side and should bear this in mind when they seek the call. All speakers are required to be relevant to whichever portfolio is being examined, but there is no requirement of direct relevance in respect of any responses. It might be practical for ministers to respond to more than one speaker when they seek the call. I note that this is a general arrangement applied in recent years and seemed to allow maximum participation in the stage of the debate.

Each minister and member will have up to five minutes to speak each time they are called, but they may wish to speak for a shorter time. Ministers may wish to speak first and make an introductory statement when debate on their portfolio begins, but that is a matter for them to decide. Members might also be aware of some administrative documents that are circulating when consideration in detail begins. Just to avoid confusion, let me say that any documents showing times allotted for debate on portfolios are informal and indicative only. Chairs will not be seeking to enforce these times strictly.

In accordance with standing order 149, the Federation Chamber will first consider the schedule of the bill.

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