Lidia Thorpe (Victoria, Independent) Share this | Hansard source

I, and also on behalf of Senator Faruqi, move:

(1) That the following matter be referred to the Procedure Committee for inquiry and report by 31 March 2025: Whether, in line with recommendation 10 of the report Set the standard: Report on the independent review into Commonwealth parliamentary workplaces (the report), any changes to the language and interpretation of the standing orders are required to:

(a) eliminate language, behaviour, decision-making and practices that are sexist, racist or otherwise exclusionary and discriminatory;

(b) improve safety and respect in the Senate chamber; and

(c) clarify unclear and inconsistent types of behaviour and enforcement of standards.

(2) That for the purposes of this inquiry only:

(a) the committee be authorised to hold public hearings and to move from place to place;

(b) participating members may be appointed to the committee on the nomination of the Leader of the Government in the Senate or Leader of the Opposition in the Senate, or any minority party or independent senator; and

(c) such participating members may participate in hearings of evidence and deliberations of the committee and have all the rights of members of the committee except that a participating member may not vote on any questions before the committee.

(3) That the Senate directs the committee to:

(a) hold a public hearing for a period of not less than 4 hours;

(b) ensure that a majority of witnesses invited are those adversely impacted by racism, First Peoples and culturally and racially marginalised people;

(c) invite a representative from the Australian Human Rights Commission who has been involved with the report and/or the Mapping government anti-racist programs and policies report to attend as a witness;

(d) consult with Parliamentary Workplace Support Service regarding the conduct of the inquiry; and

(e) ensure that each of the following groupings is allowed at least 45 minutes to question witnesses at the hearing:

(i) Australian Greens senators, and

(ii) independent senators.