John Hogg (Queensland, Deputy-President) Share this | Hansard source

I inform the Senate that, at 8.30 am today, two senators each submitted letters in accordance with standing order 75. Senator Milne proposed a matter of urgency and Senator Conroy proposed a matter of public importance for discussion. The question of which proposal would be submitted to the Senate was determined by lot. As a result, I inform the Senate that the following letter has been received from Senator Conroy:

Dear Mr President

Pursuant to standing order 75, I propose that the following matter of public importance be submitted to the Senate for discussion:

The Australian Government’s continued mismanagement of the sale of Telstra is hurting the prospects of the company as evidenced by the following claims in the recently released T3 prospectus:

(a)

the Government’s intention to force the appointment of Mr Geoff Cousins as a Telstra director despite the opposition of Telstra directors could affect the stability of the board;

(b)

the Government’s decision to dump a large holding of Telstra shares into the future fund to be sold in the future, will depress the Telstra share price; and

(c)

Government imposed regulation threatens the company’s earning prospects.

Yours sincerely,

Stephen Conroy

Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Senate

Labor Senator for Victoria

I call upon those senators who approve of the proposed discussion to rise in their places.

More than the number of senators required by the standing orders having risen in their places—

I understand that informal arrangements have been made to allocate specific times to each of the speakers in today’s debate. With the concurrence of the Senate, I shall ask the clerks to set the clock accordingly.