Chris Ellison (WA, Liberal Party, Manager of Opposition Business in the Senate) Share this | Hansard source

Then that is not clear, because the fact is this: if 72(2) pretends to cover the ground in relation to the chairman it should say that, and 72(1) should say ‘any senator except those in the capacity of committee chairman’. That is something that I want to raise with the Procedure Committee as well.

I take your point, Mr President, about what constitutes business on the Notice Paper, but the question that really troubles me is that the standing orders provide for a situation where any senator can be prevented from seeking leave. All senators, under any circumstances and at any stage, should have the right to seek leave and it should then be up to the Senate as to whether that is granted or not. If the standing orders do not allow that, then we have a deficiency in this chamber which we should look to fix rather than perpetuate.