Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Hansard source

I inform the Senate that at 8.30 am today two senators each submitted letters in accordance with standing order 75. Senator Moore proposed a matter of urgency and Senator Day proposed a matter of public importance for discussion. The question of which proposal would be submitted to the Senate was determined by lot. As a result, I inform the Senate that the following letter has been received from Senator Moore:

Pursuant to standing order 75, I give notice that today I propose to move "That, in the opinion of the Senate, the following is a matter of urgency:

"The need to reform Australia's political donation system by lowering the disclosure threshold, banning foreign donations, restricting anonymous donations and preventing donation splitting to avoid disclosure."

Is the matter of urgency supported?

More than the number of senators required by the standing orders having risen in their places—

Yes, it is. I understand that informal arrangements have been made in relation to speaking times in today's debate. With the concurrence of the Senate, I shall ask the clerks to set the clock accordingly.