House debates

Thursday, 6 March 2014

Bills

Qantas Sale Amendment Bill 2014; Consideration in Detail

11:44 am

Photo of Anthony AlbaneseAnthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Infrastructure and Transport) Share this | | Hansard source

If the minister could respond, the challenge if this bill is passed will be what occurs in terms of the breakup of Qantas. There is a very real distinction between the corporate structure of Qantas and the corporate structure of Virgin. Virgin's international arm is a new arm. Qantas has—

11:45 am

Photo of Christopher PyneChristopher Pyne (Sturt, Liberal Party, Minister for Education) Share this | | Hansard source

I move:

That the question be now put.

Photo of Russell BroadbentRussell Broadbent (McMillan, Liberal Party) Share this | | Hansard source

The motion is that the question be put. I put the question. Those in favour? Those to the left?

An honourable member: Can you state the question?

The question is that the motion be put.

Photo of Anthony AlbaneseAnthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Infrastructure and Transport) Share this | | Hansard source

Which question?

Photo of Russell BroadbentRussell Broadbent (McMillan, Liberal Party) Share this | | Hansard source

That the bill be read a third time.

Photo of Anthony AlbaneseAnthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Infrastructure and Transport) Share this | | Hansard source

No. With respect, Mr Deputy Speaker, procedurally, you cannot move that something be put that hasn't even been moved.

Government members interjecting

You are a hopeless Leader of House and you still don't know what—

A government member: You haven't got the call!

There is no motion for the third reading before the House. Leave was sought. It was not given because I thought it was appropriate to have a consideration in detail stage so the minister can respond—

Photo of Russell BroadbentRussell Broadbent (McMillan, Liberal Party) Share this | | Hansard source

The question before the chair is that the bill be agreed to, and the motion is that the bill be agreed to. I put the motion.

Photo of Anthony AlbaneseAnthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Infrastructure and Transport) Share this | | Hansard source

No-one has yet moved the third reading. I was speaking in the consideration in detail stage—

Photo of Russell BroadbentRussell Broadbent (McMillan, Liberal Party) Share this | | Hansard source

The member for Grayndler will take his seat.

Photo of Christopher PyneChristopher Pyne (Sturt, Liberal Party, Minister for Education) Share this | | Hansard source

Mr Deputy Speaker, on a point of order. The question was put to the House: was leave granted for the third reading to be moved forthwith? Leave was not granted for it to be moved forthwith, but we are now into the third reading of the bill—or the consideration in detail, because leave was not granted for the third reading to be moved forthwith. But the question before the House is that the bill be agreed to, as you have stated. I have moved that that question be put.

Photo of Mr Tony BurkeMr Tony Burke (Watson, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Finance) Share this | | Hansard source

Point of order, Mr Deputy Speaker: it is impossible for the House to deal with the question 'That the question be put' when there is no question before the House. It would be like if one of us jumped up during question time and moved that the question be put when there is no question before the House. They asked for leave to move directly to the third reading. Leave was not granted. We moved to consideration in detail. Had leave been granted, they would have moved straightaway that the bill be read a third time. That did not happen. Therefore, there is no question before the House and it is impossible to move that the question be put when there is no question before the House.

Photo of Russell BroadbentRussell Broadbent (McMillan, Liberal Party) Share this | | Hansard source

The question is that the question be now put.

12:00 pm

Photo of Mrs Bronwyn BishopMrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | | Hansard source

The question now is that the bill be agreed to.

Bill agreed to.