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

by leave—I move:

That standing order 31 (automatic adjournment of the House) and standing order 33 (limit on business after normal time of adjournment) be suspended for this sitting.

I am sure members would like to know the plan for the last day of sitting. I regret to tell the House that the opposition in the Senate is filibustering on the multinational tax bill. As a consequence, the expectation I had that we would be able to leave at the normal time will not be realised. My proposition—and I have discussed it with the Manager of Opposition Business—is to suspend the House at five o'clock after he and I have given our valedictory speeches for the end of the year. Then we will resume the sitting of the House at the ringing of the bells. My expectation would be—and I make the offer to the House—than we will not ring the bells before 8.30 pm. So it will not be any earlier than 8.30, which means that people can, between five o'clock and 8.30, have a meal or do whatever they feel like doing, knowing there will be no divisions. After 8.30, as soon as the bills return from the Senate with amendments, we will ring the bells and deal with those. The general consensus on my side of the House is that people would rather sit late tonight than sit tomorrow, but if that situation changes I will return to the House, having spoken to the Manager of Opposition Business. That is my expectation—to suspend the House at five o'clock and resume at the ringing of the bells, not before half past eight.

Question agreed to.