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

I have received a letter from the Leader of the Opposition in the Senate, Senator Chris Evans, and Senators Bartlett and Siewert proposing that a definite matter of public importance be submitted to the Senate for discussion, namely:

On International Day for the Eradication of Poverty, the urgent need for action to address the plight facing the hundreds of thousands of Australians still living in poverty.

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.