Katy Gallagher (ACT, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the Public Service) Share this | Hansard source

The government gave leave to Senator Roberts. The reason I gave leave was that the motion I had before me said that he was going to give notice of a motion for the next day of sitting; that was the version I had. We gave leave because we want this chamber to work more collaboratively than it has in the past. I didn't expect that there would be then an extended political attack and debate—not really about the substance of the motion, which the government is happy to agree to. The minister has made it clear that he is happy to come in and follow the sentiment of the motion, or to attend the Senate tomorrow. But we are not supportive of having the whole morning spent on this and then the whole morning tomorrow spent on this, which is essentially what the motion, as it's being conducted in this place, is going to mean: we're going to have an open-ended debate this morning of unrelated contributions from those opposite and then we're going to have a repeat of this tomorrow morning.

Now, the approach the government is taking is: we want to work with people in this chamber. We would appreciate notice—not just walking into it—and I've spoken to Senator Roberts about that. If you are going to move a motion like this, it is common courtesy that, if you're advising other people in this chamber, you advise everybody and give people a little bit of a heads-up. We would ask for that, because that assists us in whether or not we give leave to allow for certain motions. So we would request that.

The minister has spoken. We have allowed two contributions from the opposition. One Nation has made a contribution. The Greens have made a contribution. So I feel that we have done what we need to do today, and no doubt there will be further contributions that can be made tomorrow. So I move:

That the question be put.