Trevor Evans (Brisbane, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Waste Reduction and Environmental Management) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I move:

That so much of the standing orders be suspended as would prevent the following from occurring in relation to business for today:

(1) debate on the second reading of the Mitochondrial Donation Law Reform (Maeve's Law) Bill 2021 to continue until 7.30 pm;

(2) at 7.30 pm, Members to be permitted to make statements, of no longer than 5 minutes each, for a period of 30 minutes;

(3) at 8 pm, debate to resume on the second reading of the Mitochondrial Donation Law Reform (Maeve's Law) Bill 2021, with the debate to be adjourned by a Minister when no further speakers rise;

(4) the House then to immediately adjourn until 9.30 am on Wednesday, 1 December 2021; and

(5) from 8 pm until the adjournment of the House:

(a) any division called shall be deferred until 9.30 am on Wednesday, 1 December 2021; and

(b) if any Member draws the attention of the Speaker to the state of the House, the Speaker shall announce that he or she will count the House at 9.30 am on Wednesday, 1 December 2021.

Mr Tony Burke (Watson, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for the Arts) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The opposition is supporting the motion that has just been put. For the clarity of members: that means, if you wish to speak on the mitochondrial bill, the debate will go all night until we run out of speakers. That's the opportunity. The government has done the right thing in terms of making sure, with managing the business of the House, that you can't gag a conscience vote. Making sure that everybody gets to speak is an important thing.

It also means that, if you are on the list for the adjournment debate tonight, it won't technically be an adjournment debate, but you'll get to make your speech between 7.30 and eight o'clock. With all that in mind, the opposition thanks the government for their cooperation. It's an appropriate way to deal with what's before us.

Question agreed to.