Jacinta Collins (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Cabinet Secretary) Share this | Hansard source

The Labor Party will oppose the suspension motion but not for the reasons that Senator O'Sullivan has anticipated. Let me describe one basic Senate procedure to Senator O'Sullivan, but he should understand this, given his length of time here. It is the prerogative of any individual senator to deny formality, and that is what occurred. But, in relation to this suspension motion, the Labor Party will be opposing it for the reasons we have outlined on at least two occasions when motions such as this have been put forward in formal business.

Formal motions have been a feature of the Senate's routine of business since the beginning. They exist to deal with business expeditiously or, to put it in plain English, quickly. To use parliamentary jargon, they are a blunt instrument to deal with routine and uncontroversial matters like extensions of time for committee reports or authorisations for committees to meet—simple matters that do not require discussion. Unfortunately, sometimes, like now, that point seems not to be well understood. More and more, the formal business procedure is being misused or overused by some senators for complex and sensitive matters. That is not appropriate and it abuses this important feature of the Senate's routine of business.

But let me conclude this statement with one further point, given Senator O'Sullivan's anticipation: I am one senator that will not cop a lecture like that on abortion.