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

by leave—Let me make it clear that the opposition have said to the government that we will comply and cooperate with reasonable requests for extra time for the debate this week on those budget bills. The condensate bill has been on the paper before but it was put off. We have had previous bills where government senators have far outnumbered non-government senators. We have examples of that. We stand ready to cooperate with the government to get these budget bills through this week. In relation to this particular issue it was Senator Evans last week who criticised the coalition for not taking pensioner issues seriously and he himself said that it is important that this parliament do all it can to support pensioners. This is precisely what this is about.

In relation to the procedure at hand, I have sought leave to move a motion. I can agree to amend it to accommodate the concerns of Senator Xenophon and the canvassing of the second reading amendment by Senator Fielding. I will therefore be seeking leave to move a motion to provide that general business notice of motion no. 200 for the introduction of the Urgent Relief for Single Age Pensioners Bill 2008 be called on immediately and that the bill have precedence over all government business until it is read a second time.

That would accommodate Senator Xenophon’s concern in relation to the third reading of the bill. I impress upon Senator Xenophon and Senator Fielding that this is a way of dealing with this issue and its urgency, but also accommodating both Senator Fielding’s ability to put forward a second reading amendment and also Senator Xenophon’s wish that it not proceed to a third reading at this stage. We would simply be moving that the bill have precedence but only up until the second reading vote is taken. That is what the coalition are now seeking to do. I seek leave to continue on that basis.