George Brandis (Queensland, Liberal Party, Shadow Attorney-General) Share this | Hansard source

I move:

That so much of standing orders be suspended as would prevent me forthwith from moving a motion to amend the revised order of business.

Mr President, the order of business that has just been decided upon by the Senate as a result of the division is now, in effect, the ‘Red’ for the next two days, and the opposition—or, indeed, any senator—may amend the ‘Red’.

The amendments that the opposition proposes are these: in paragraph (3) there be added the words ‘and a 30-minute debate for motions to take note of answers to questions’, after (2) there be added (2A) ‘The Senate shall meet on Saturday, 27 November 2010 and that the hours of meeting shall be 9 am to 3.30 pm’, in (5)(a) the words and expressions ‘11.45 am’ be deleted and the words and expressions ‘3.30 pm’ be inserted in their place, in (5)(b) the words ‘12 noon, on Friday 26 November 2010’ be omitted and in substitution for them there be inserted the words ‘12 noon, on Saturday 27 November 2010’.

The opposition embarks on this course with reluctance, but aware of the gravity of the situation. It is the consequence of the motion that the Senate has lately carried that, were the Senate to dispose of the business as is currently scheduled, then the Senate would not have the opportunity for appropriate scrutiny of this legislation. Before I come to that—