Katy Gallagher (ACT, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Finance) Share this | Hansard source

I just want to take the opportunity to put on the record some of the issues that we've been having in relation to private senators' bills and the listing of particular bills. Since the establishment of the 46th Parliament, we've had informal discussions around how this should be handled amongst parties, really around the time frame for introduction of bills and then debate. The informal agreement is that there should be enough time that elapses that parties are able to go through their own internal processes to agree to or to get positions on particular private senators' bills prior to them being listed. We have had some issues in the past. With the two bills listed to be debated today, the Labor Party haven't been allowed to go through our processes. Our first opportunity to discuss these bills will be tomorrow. But we do appreciate—I sincerely appreciate—the effort that Senator Siewert went to with her colleagues and Senator Ruston last week when this was identified, in resolving it so that these bills will be debated today but will not proceed to a vote, which will allow us to take them through our processes. But we would like to ensure that other crossbench members are aware of this in the listing of bills, and perhaps there will be an opportunity for whips to discuss this informally and reach agreement. Probably even better would be that parties are advised by the government of what bills are going to be listed prior to the motion being moved here on the Thursday morning. That would assist as well. We'd just like to place that on the record and ensure that today's debate goes ahead smoothly but without us being put in a position where we have to cast a vote on a bill that hasn't been through our party room.