Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Hansard source

Before I go on in this debate, the clock can be paused. This particular section of the Senate's business is cascading—in behaviour and time. If there are motions moved to suspend standing orders to deal with the motion in a formal sense, I will apply the limits of the standing orders incredibly strictly: the terms of the debate will be about the suspension of standing orders and not about the substantive motion that the senator is seeking to have debated. I remind all senators that there is normally some tolerance for that. I will not let this session of the Senate's business, which is cascading, become a forum for de facto debate via suspension of standing orders. Any senator who wants to move or speak to a motion: limit what you are saying to the suspension of standing orders and do not seek to debate the substantive motion.