Andrew McLachlan (SA, Deputy-President) Share this | Hansard source

I inform the Senate that the President has received the following letter, dated 7 August, from Senator Babet:

Pursuant to standing order 75, I give notice that today I propose to move "that, in the opinion of the Senate, the following is a matter of urgency:

"It's been more than two years since some Labor MP's called for a Royal Commission into Australia's handling of the coronavirus pandemic. It's been 16 months since Labor Senator Katy Gallagher backed a Royal Commission into Australia's pandemic response. It's been over a year since Prime Minister Anthony Albanese promised the Australian people a Royal Commission or a similar inquiry into Australia's response to the COVID pandemic. He said an inquiry would be established 'as soon as practicable'."

The Labor Government must honour their promises and establish a Royal Commission into the pandemic response immediately."

Is the proposal supported?

More than the number of senators required by the standing orders having risen in their places—

With the concurrence of the Senate, the clerks will set the clock in line with the informal arrangements made by the whips.