Mr Tony Burke (Watson, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations) Share this | Hansard source

The debate on the Help to Buy legislation is governed by a resolution of the House which can be varied only on a resolution of the minister. I am conscious that the opposition, as they are entitled to, have been adding more speakers to the list, which means that we'll probably get to 5.30 pm without having a consideration in detail section. So the purpose of the resolution I'm about to move is simply to make sure the opposition can still have their speakers up to 5.30 pm—it's no reduction there—but after that there will be a consideration in detail stage that would go to 6.20 pm. So it's additional debating time, no reduction. I move:

That, in accordance with paragraph (5) of the resolution agreed to by the House on 27 February 2024 relating to the consideration of the Help to Buy Bill 2023 and the Help to Buy (Consequential Provisions) Bill 2023, the resolution be varied to insert a new sub-paragraph into paragraph (3), immediately following the existing sub-paragraph (a), which reads as follows:

"(aa) if required, a consideration in detail stage of the bill, with the bill being taken as a whole, and debate to continue until no later than 6.20 pm;"

The effect of this for members will simply be that, if we run out of second reading speeches before 5.30 pm, we vote but that, if the number of speakers takes us all the way to 5.30 pm, we would have a second reading vote and then have a consideration in detail debate. That might finish before 6.20 pm, but, if it hasn't, we would then go through the remaining stages. At 6.30 pm, we should be well and truly through all the divisions.

Question agreed to.

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