Sue Lines (WA, Deputy-President) Share this | Hansard source

I inform the Senate that at 8.30 am today 18 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 Chisholm:

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

The decision by the Minister for Aged Care and Senior Australians (Senator Colbeck) to turn his back on his accountability and responsibility to this parliament; on the families, friends, children, grandchildren, siblings and friends of each and every one of the older Australians who has died in aged care as a result of COVID-19; and on the 200,000 Australians in aged care and those who put themselves at risk every day to care for them.

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 for each of the speakers in today's debate. With the concurrence of the Senate, I shall ask the clerks to set the clock accordingly.