Jordon Steele-John (WA, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source

I seek leave to move a motion to extend the consideration of the Mitochondrial Donation Law Reform (Maeve's Law) Bill 2021 to 5 pm.

Leave not granted.

I move:

That so much of standing orders be suspended as would prevent me from moving this motion.

Here is where we sit tonight. This law, opening the gateway to vital medical research, that has been subject to debate in the chamber, is now about to come to a close without resolution because of the previous decisions of this chamber in relation to the organisation of the business of this place. I seek, in moving this motion today, not to constrain any senator in making a contribution to what is a conscience vote. I simply move here to allow the time necessary for that debate to conclude and for a vote on the legislation finally to be taken before the Senate rises at the end of this parliamentary day. Let us not have a situation where this law passes because we have run out of time, when it is totally within the powers of this chamber to grant ourselves additional time to consider this legislation.

My motion here would grant an additional hour of time to debate, plenty of time to get through the three remaining amendments and vote finally on the law as it would then stand, giving clarity and certainty to all of those in this debate who are concerned by this issue. There are many other matters before the chamber; however, I would note that our colleagues in the House sat until two o'clock in the morning yesterday debating an issue of legislation. Let us not leave any impression that we are not willing to sit and do our jobs to get legislation important to our communities through this place. So let us stay here in this debate, let us finish what we have started and let us give certainty and clarity to all those concerned by the outcome of this legislation. I commend—no, I beseech this motion to the chamber.