John Williams (NSW, National Party) Share this | Hansard source

I inform the Senate that, at 8.30 am today, 13 proposals were received in accordance with standing order 75. 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 Whish-Wilson:

Pursuant to standing order 75, I propose that the following matter of public importance be submitted to the Senate for discussion:

'The devastating storms and floods that have occurred in South Asia and the Americas, and the threat posed to Australia's natural resources, call for urgent action on global warming.'

Is the proposal supported?

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

I understand that informal arrangements have been made to allocate specific times to each of the speakers in today's debate. With the concurrence of the Senate, I shall ask the clerks to set the clock accordingly.