Murray Watt (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Hansard source

I move:

That this bill may proceed without formalities and be now read a first time.

Question agreed to.

Bill read a first time.

by leave—I move:

That—

(a) the questions on all remaining stages of the bill be put at 11.15 am; and

(b) paragraph (a) operate as a limitation of debate under standing order 142.

I table a statement of reasons justifying the need for this bill to be considered during these sittings and seek leave to have the statement incorporated in Hansard.

Leave granted.

The statement read as follows—

Purpose of the Bill

The purpose of the Bill is to terminate the lease, and any legal or equitable right, title and interest held by the leaseholder over a specified block of land in the Australian Capital Territory.

Reasons for Urgency

There are immediate national security risks associated with allowing the leaseholder to exercise its interests over the specific block of land. The introduction and passage of the Bill in the Winter 2023 parliamentary sittings is necessary to avoid those risks.

Question agreed to.