Mr Tony Burke (Watson, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I move:

That so much of the standing and sessional orders be suspended as would prevent the following from occurring in relation to proceedings on the Constitution Alteration (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice) 2023:

(1) on Tuesday, 30 May when the order of the day relating to the second reading debate on the Constitution Alteration (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice) 2023 is called on following the conclusion of the matter of public importance and any division or quorum deferred under standing orders 55 and 133, the second reading debate on the Constitution Alteration (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice) 2023 continuing without interruption until no further Members rise to speak, or the commencement of the adjournment debate at 7.30 pm;

(2) notwithstanding standing order 31, if the second reading debate has not concluded earlier, at 8 pm on Tuesday, 30 May, the bill being called on for further consideration, with the second reading debate continuing until no further Members rise to speak, at which point, debate being adjourned and the House immediately adjourning until Wednesday, 31 May at 9 am;

(3) on Wednesday, 31 May:

(a) the order of the day relating to the second reading debate on the Constitution Alteration (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice) 2023 being immediately called on following prayers;

(b) questions being immediately put on any amendments moved to the motion for the second reading and on the second reading of the bill; and

(c) if required, a consideration in detail stage of the bill, with the bill being taken as a whole; and

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

I'll be very brief in my remarks because the whole purpose of this is to get through the debate and that purpose would be defeated if I were to give a long explanation. Effectively, what the government has been trying to do is make sure that we maximise members' opportunities to be able to speak on this issue while, at the same time, making sure that we get it to the Senate before the Senate returns. That's why we had some late nights last week. Members were still given the full 15 minutes to speak. Some members assisted the House by giving briefer speeches, but the right, if someone wanted to exercise it, to speak for the full 15 minutes remained.

What this motion does is say that we will finish this debate tonight. It may well be, given the number of speakers that we have on the current list, that we finish in time for the adjournment anyway, but this says that, if we don't, we'll have the adjournment debate between 7.30 and eight o'clock, so, if you're on the roster, you'll still get your speech. Then, at eight o'clock, instead of adjourning, we will return to this bill and we will continue going through speeches until the list is exhausted. Then, tomorrow morning when we return, we will have the second reading vote.

For the information of members, the government's intention is that we will then go immediately into consideration in detail. We'll stay there. There'll certainly be votes; there may or may not be divisions on amendments. Then, when we hit the third reading, whether a division is called or not, the bells will ring, and I'd remind members that, for those listening to the broadcast, the term 'mickey' won't be a familiar one, but it's a very familiar one to members of parliament. You may see on the screen a division that looks like one that you don't ordinarily turn up to. The third reading, for constitutional purposes, has to be divided and, no matter how many people there are on each side, every name will be recorded.

Darren Chester (Gippsland, National Party, Shadow Minister for Regional Education) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the Leader of the House for his explanation. I understand he has had some conversations with the Manager of Opposition Business and, for the goodwill of the House, I'm sure we'll proceed successfully tonight.

Question agreed to.