Joe Ludwig (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Manager of Government Business in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I ask that government business notice of motion No. 1 to vary the hours of meeting and routine of business for the remainder of the week be taken as formal.

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Is there any objection to this motion being taken as formal?

Steve Fielding (Victoria, Family First Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I seek leave to make a short statement.

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Is leave granted for Senator Fielding to make a brief statement?

Helen Coonan (NSW, Liberal Party, Manager of Opposition Business in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

For one minute.

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Leave is granted for one minute.

Steve Fielding (Victoria, Family First Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

From what I can read, this is about the hours that we are sitting today. I understand that we will be sitting past 11 o’clock tonight. I wonder whether that is the right thing to be doing, given that the decisions to be made are important. I wonder whether running so late at night is reasonable, given that I thought that originally we were going to stop at 11 o’clock and come back tomorrow morning if we were still going. I do not see the sense in rushing through decisions today.

Joe Ludwig (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Manager of Government Business in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The normal way that these things would be done, of course, is that you would be given formality. I was going to speak to the motion after I moved it. I seek leave to speak to it now instead.

Leave granted.

What I have put forward is the usual position that happens each year at this time of the year. What we normally do—and that is what this motion contains—is put the list of bills that we seek to achieve before we break for Christmas. I also indicate that occasionally some of those bills might fall off the end, and they are usually put at the last time—such as the Tax Laws Amendment (Political Contributions and Gifts) Bill 2008 and the horse disease response bills. With all good cooperation, if we get to those, we do; if we do not, they sometimes, to say it euphemistically, fall off the edge. The bills on that list are the bills that we seek to achieve. At the conclusion of those bills, we would then propose the adjournment and go home. That is the usual process that we adopt every year and at the end of every session as well.

In this instance, the way we then structure breaks is by the cooperation of all around the chamber—the opposition, the minor party and the Independents. We would then suspend. As I understand the workload ahead of us today, it would be more than likely that we will be debating some of these bills into the evening. Usually at about 10 or 11 o’clock in the evening we make a judgement call as to whether or not we require another hour to finish or whether we are more likely to come back the next day. At that point—between 10 and 11 o’clock—we usually consult around the chamber as to the likelihood of that. If it looks unlikely that we would finish and that we would need to come back tomorrow, we would then suspend. We would then come back. Usually we would start at nine, but we usually agree on that as well with everyone’s cooperation in the chamber. We would then come back at nine and start the program again. Of course, if there were a need for any other breaks, past experience has indicated to me that we normally finish some time during the Friday. We usually try to agree amongst ourselves when we are likely to propose the adjournment. At that point, the adjournment would be proposed. In the past, it has varied between midmorning, lunch and sometimes it has been, from my recollection, a little later on early Friday evening.

That is the process that this hours of meeting motion seeks to put in place. The way the chamber works at this time is by cooperation in order to get through the program that has been outlined. There are not, in the usual course of events, a significant number of bills to be dealt with. There is a package of bills. It is not longer than what I have experienced in the past; in fact, it is probably a little shorter. There are some bills that will require significant debating time, such as, as I understand it, the COAG bill. With good cooperation around the chamber, we should be able to work through that program and hopefully propose the adjournment this evening, but we may end up sitting tomorrow. Of course, it will also depend on those bills which have to go across to the other chamber, should they be amended, and then return for consideration. That sometimes creates a delay while we send the bill across to the House. I hope that larger explanation assists.

Nick Minchin (SA, Liberal Party, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

by leave—On behalf of the opposition, could I just indicate to Senator Fielding that the opposition supports in principle the procedures outlined and proposed by Senator Ludwig on behalf of the government. It is consistent with the procedures we have adopted in these circumstances in years past. I indicate to Senator Fielding that it is our view that the Senate should suspend at 11 o’clock tonight unless, as Senator Ludwig has indicated, it is abundantly clear to all of us that we could finish all of the business within one or two hours, and therefore it would make more sense to just continue. But our prima facie preference would be to finish at 11 and resume in the morning.

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Is there any objection to the motion being taken as formal? There being no objection, I call Senator Ludwig.

Joe Ludwig (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Manager of Government Business in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I move:

That on Thursday, 4 December 2008:

(a)

the hours of meeting shall be 9.30 am to 6.30 pm and 7.30 pm to adjournment;

(b)

consideration of general business, and consideration of committee reports, government responses and Auditor-General’s reports under standing order 62(1) and (2) shall not be proceeded with;

(c)

the routine of business from 12.45 pm till not later than 2 pm, and from not later than 3.45 pm shall be government business only;

(d)

divisions may take place after 4.30 pm;

(e)

the question for the adjournment of the Senate shall be proposed after the Senate has finally considered the bills listed below and any messages from the House of Representatives:

Schools Assistance Bill 2008 (message)

Interstate Road Transport Charge Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2008

Road Charges Legislation Repeal and Amendment Bill 2008

Temporary Residents’ Superannuation Legislation Amendment Bill 2008

Superannuation (Departing Australia Superannuation Payments Tax) Amendment Bill 2008

Water Amendment Bill 2008 (message)

Aged Care Amendment (2008 Measures No. 2) Bill 2008

Nation-building Funds Bill 2008

Nation-building Funds (Consequential Amendments) Bill 2008

COAG Reform Fund Bill 2008

Social Security Legislation Amendment (Employment Services Reform) Bill 2008

Social Security and Veterans’ Entitlements Legislation Amendment (Schooling Requirements) Bill 2008

Corporations Amendment (Short Selling) Bill 2008

Tax Laws Amendment (Luxury Car Tax—Minor Amendments) Bill 2008

Tax Laws Amendment (Political Contributions and Gifts) Bill 2008

Safe Work Australia Bill 2008 (message)

Horse Disease Response Levy Bill 2008

Horse Disease Response Levy Collection Bill 2008

Horse Disease Response Levy (Consequential Amendments) Bill 2008.

Question agreed to.