Christopher Pyne (Sturt, Liberal Party, Leader of the House) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Madam Speaker, it would be important to update the House on the situation involving the Senate and bring some closure to today's proceedings. The Senate have decided to continue to debate the migration bill before the Senate until 11 pm. They have decided to suspend at 11 pm, which is obviously disappointing. Through no fault of the manager of opposition business or the chief whip, the Labor senators in the other house are adding speakers to the list, which some would describe as a filibuster, on the second reading. They are yet to get to the committee stage. They might well get to the committee stage tonight; they might not. But, regardless of that, they will finish at 11 pm.

Even if they have completed all stages of that bill by 11 tonight, it will take around four hours to be transmitted back to the House of Representatives. The view of the government is that keeping members here until 3 am tomorrow is not a sensible course to adopt. We have had very frank discussions with the opposition about this matter and the member for Watson shares my view about this.

My view is that we will suspend the sitting now, which will give members certainty about the rest of the evening. They can go about their business, as they see fit. We will plan to resume at 8 am tomorrow, which I have agreed with the member for Watson, assuming that the Senate has completed all stages of that bill and it has been transmitted to the House of Representatives, which should be enough time. At that stage, assuming we have a reasonably quick discussion and votes on the migration bill, which, again, I have agreed with the member for Watson would be advantageous, most members will then be able to get to their planes and get home at a reasonable time, including the Western Australian, Northern Territory and north Queensland members, which I think is the way we should proceed. So, therefore, I am indicating that the House will suspend until tomorrow morning at eight. The member for Watson has indicated he will not come into the House, but I can say that he agrees with that course of events.

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

In the light of the comments of the Leader of the House, indicating agreement with the Manager of Opposition Business in the House, I declare the sitting of this House suspended till 8 am tomorrow or until the ringing of the bells.

Proceedings suspended from 17:37 to 0800

Friday, 5 December 2014