Jacinta Collins (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Parliamentary Secretary for School Education and Workplace Relations) Share this | Hansard source

I move:

That—

(1)   On Wednesday, 14 March, Monday, 19 March, Tuesday, 20 March and Wednesday, 21 March 2012, any proposal pursuant to standing order 75 shall not be proceeded with.

(2)   On Wednesday, 14 March and 21 March 2012, consideration of government documents shall not be proceeded with, and instead the routine of business shall be government business only.

(3)   Divisions may take place on:

  (a)   Thursday, 15 March 2012, after 4.30 pm; and

  (b)   Monday, 19 March 2012, before 12.30 pm.

(4)   On Thursday, 15 March 2012:

  (a)   the hours of meeting shall be 9.30 am to 6.30 pm and 7.30 pm to 11.10 pm;

  (b)   consideration of general business and consideration of committee reports, government responses and Auditor-General's reports understanding order 62(1) and (2) shall not be proceeded with;

  (c)   the routine of business from not later than 3.45 pm shall be government business only; and

  (d)   the question for the adjournment of the Senate shall be proposed at 10.30 pm.

(4A)   The Senate meet on Friday, 16 March 2012, and that:

  (a)    the hours of meeting shall be 9 am to 2.40 pm;

  (b)    the routine of business shall be government business only, and

  (c)    the question for the adjournment of the Senate shall be proposed at 2 pm.

(5)   On Tuesday, 20 March 2012:

  (a)   the hours of meeting shall be 11 am to 6.30 pm and 7.30 pm to 11.10 pm;

  (b)   the routine of business from 11 am till not later than 2 pm, and from not later than 7.30 pm shall be government business only; and

  (c)   the question for the adjournment of the Senate shall be proposed at 10.30 pm.

(6)   The following government business orders of the day shall have precedence over all government business, be called on in the following order and be considered under a limitation of time, and that the time allotted for all remaining stages be as follows:

  (7)   Paragraph (6) of this order operate as an allocation of time understanding order 142.

Notice of motion altered on 13 March 2012 pursuant to standing order 77.

I table statements of reasons relating to the Appropriation Bill (No. 3) 2011-2012 and a related bill and the Financial Framework Legislation Amendment Bill (No. 1) 2012, justifying the need for bills to be considered during these sittings and seek leave to have the statements incorporated in Hansard.

Leave granted.

The statements read as follows—

STATEMENT OF REASONS FOR INTRODUCTION AND PASSAGE IN THE 2012 AUTUMN SITTINGS

APPROPRIATION BILL (NO. 3) 2011-2012

APPROPRIATION BILL (NO. 4) 2011-2012

Purpose of the Bills

The bills request legislative authority for additional expenditure to be incurred in respect of 2011-2012.

Reasons for Urgency

Appropriations proposed in the bills provide funding for expenditure that is required to implement decisions and funding adjustments that involve further expenditure in 2011-2012, which have been agreed since the 2011-2012 Budget.

Passage of the bills before the last day of the 2012 Autumn sittings will ensure continuity of the Government's programs and the Commonwealth's ability to meet its obligations as they fall due. Should passage not be granted in the Autumn sittings, activities to be funded by the bills may be deferred or significantly delayed.

FINANCIAL FRAMEWORK LEGISLATION AMENDMENT BILL (NO. 1) 2012

Purpose of the Bill

amend the Auditor-General Act 1997 to clarify that the Auditor-General may accept an appointment as the auditor of any company that the Commonwealth controls within the meaning of the Commonwealth Authorities and Companies Act 1997 (CAC Act);

Reasons for Urgency

It is critical that the bill is passed in the Autumn 2012 sittings as a number of provisions have implications for the Commonwealth budget. Primarily, it is important that Schedule 2, Part 1 commences as soon as possible to ensure that estimates continue to be collected from Commonwealth authorities and wholly-owned companies (other than Government Business Enterprises) for the preparation of the 2012-2013 budget, which may be considered by the Parliament early in the Winter 2012 sittings. The other amendments to the CAC Act are timely, to ensure that Commonwealth authorities and wholly owned companies continue to advise the responsible Minister of significant business events, which may have implications for the budget. The proposed amendments to the FMA Act clarify the Finance Minister's delegation powers, which may be needed to obtain financial information and data for the preparation of the 2012-2013 budget.

The motion we are debating organises the legislative program for the remainder of the sittings. Senators would be aware that it is not unusual for such a motion to tightly order the business of the Senate in the last few sitting days of a session. Some senators, particularly those from the opposition, may not appreciate reasonable attempts to manage time, but I will address that in more detail later. The motion allows reasonable time for debate on significant bills. Assuming that the opposition does not waste the Senate's time on suspension motions or other procedures to distract from debating legislation, once this motion is dealt with it will allow reasonable time for debate of major legislation. This is our job.

The Minerals Resource Rent Tax package will have over 16 hours of debate. The Fairer Private Health Insurance Incentives package will have over eight hours of debate. The motion is structured to allow for several hours of debate on the other more significant legislation listed, with relatively short debate times on legislation that is recognised—and I stress recognised—to be non-controversial by all parties.

I understand that dealing with this number of bills for the autumn session may place limitations on time and that is not ideal. This will not be supported by many in this place, particularly the opposition. I also understand that the chief role of senators is to legislate, as much as those on the other side might mock. Too often our time in the chamber is taken up with ad hoc motions, daily MPIs and speeches on bills with little relevance to the actual subject of the legislation. I will return to the MPI statistics which obviously interest those on the other side.