Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations) Share this | Hansard source

Mr President, on a point of order: I circulated an amendment to this motion. It has been circulated to all honourable senators. I simply ask: are we really to believe that the deals that have been done today will stop the longstanding precedent and principle that all proposed changes to standing orders go to the Procedures Committee? That has been the practice each and every time there has been a change to standing orders in this place. This proposal has not been to the Procedures Committee, and I simply say to those opposite, especially the ALP: be exceptionally careful. I am just asking for your guidance, Mr President, as to whether this motion will allow that strong principle, that strong precedent that has been followed by everybody, to just be tossed out the window like a soiled tissue, discarded without any thought.