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

The government denied the senator leave to move a motion, and we don't support the motion to suspend standing orders. I'll confine my remarks to the suspension rather than the broader issues around industrial relations reform. The first point is that we have an incredibly busy program to get to today, and so this is, I think, an attempt to waste the Senate's time on a matter where we have other, more pressing and more important issues. The Senate has—

Well, I listened to people in silence, so I would appreciate having the same courtesy extended to me. The point is—and Senator Pocock made it—that the Senate formed its view on this last week. That is clear to the House of Representatives. Now, what the House of Representatives chooses to do with that is a matter for the House of Representatives, not the Senate. That vote was held last week. If it was clear, as Senator Pocock argues, then let the House of Representatives determine how to deal with that. I don't think we would take too kindly to the House of Representatives telling us how to order our program when we come and sit in this place. I can't recall the House of Representatives ever passing a motion to tell the Senate how to order its priorities and programs, and I don't think the Senate should be doing that to the House of Representatives.

I think the more pressing issues today are to get to the government's legislation program and allow the House of Representatives to do what it needs to do with whatever work gets sent its way from the Senate. I understand there was the opportunity for a procedural issue to deal with that this week and that it wasn't dealt with appropriately by the opposition. That's my understanding. So it was probably more about the opposition in the House of Representatives getting their house in order if they wanted to prioritise this matter this week. That wasn't done, and it's over to the House of Representatives to choose how it deals with this.

But the Senate has set times for these matters. We dealt with the private senators' bills last week. There is absolutely no reason why this should be taking up more time this morning, and I move:

That the question be now put.