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

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I move:

That, for the remainder of this sitting, unless otherwise ordered, so much of the standing and sessional orders be suspended as would prevent:

(1) the House continuing to sit until a Minister has replied to the debate on the Clean Energy Amendment (International Emissions Trading and Other Measures) Bill 2012 and 6 related bills or 11 p.m., whichever is the earlier, at which time the House shall automatically stand adjourned until 9 a.m. tomorrow morning;

(2) during the period from 7 p.m. until the adjournment of this sitting any division on a question called for in the House, other than on a motion moved by a Minister during this period, shall stand deferred until 9 a.m. tomorrow morning;

(3) during the period from 7 p.m. until the adjournment of this sitting if any member draws the attention of the Speaker to the state of the House, the Speaker shall announce that the House will be counted at 9 a.m. tomorrow morning, if the Member then so desires; and

(4) any variation to this arrangement to be made only by a motion moved by a Minister.

I thank the Manager of Opposition Business for his cooperation in sorting out this motion. This means that, after the MPI, we will go to the debate on the clean energy bills. Debate on those bills will be concluded but, because people do have functions to attend this evening, there will not be votes in the chamber from 7 pm. This basically saves the need for the parliament to sit late tomorrow, which is always problematic in terms of people leaving parliament on the Thursday.

So if there are votes on the clean energy bills, the divisions will take place first thing tomorrow morning. I commend the motion to the House.

For the benefit of members I foreshadow the next motion, which is to refer the Dental Benefits Amendment Bill 2012, which I think is being supported across the chamber, to the Federation Chamber for conclusion this afternoon. I thank members, particularly the shadow minister, for their cooperation on this matter.

Robert Oakeshott (Lyne, Independent) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise to make the same point that I made yesterday and which I made at the end of the last sitting—that is, that there is a long list of private members' votes waiting for the consideration of this chamber. I continue to raise this point, that some of those votes from private members have been waiting to be dealt with for over four sitting weeks. I urge you, Madam Speaker, and the Leader of the House to bring those on as a matter of some urgency.

Question agreed to.