Mitch Fifield (Victoria, Liberal Party, Manager of Government Business in the Senate) Share this | Hansard source

I appreciate the opposition indicating that they support the convention that the government of the day should determine the sitting schedule. Obviously this is a matter which is determined by both chambers, and it makes sense that both chambers have a common sitting pattern. It is not always possible, given that there are multiple considerations in determining a sitting pattern, to see that school holidays never coincide with sittings of the parliament. In relation to Senator Moore's comments about whether next year additional hours or days would be granted by the chamber: whether the government requests the chamber to do so will, to a large extent, be a function of whether the various groupings in this chamber facilitate quick passage of legislation. (Time expired)