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

I move:

I move:

That the committee have leave to sit again at a later hour of the day.

Question agreed to.

I seek leave to move a motion relating to divisions being called today.

Leave granted.

I move:

That divisions may take place after 4.30 pm today.

We have become aware that the motion moved this morning contained a technical oversight in that standing orders provide for no divisions and no quorums after 4.30 pm on Thursday, which is standing order 57(3). As a consequence, that order still stands. This means that no divisions can take place today if a motion is moved and a division is called. The chair would then move that the division shall be moved to the next day of sitting, which is Friday, 26 November.

Mitch Fifield (Victoria, Liberal Party, Manager of Opposition Business in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The opposition understands the circumstances which have necessitated this particular motion. As we are all aware, standing order 57(3) states:

If a division is called for on Thursday after 4.30 pm, the matter before the Senate shall be adjourned until the next day of sitting at a time fixed by the Senate.

We understand that it is inadvertent that that provision is still in effect. The government clearly wants a resolution to legislation that is before the chamber. It is certainly not our intention to thwart a resolution, so we do understand that it was through inadvertence that this situation has arisen.

Chris Evans (WA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Government in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On behalf of the government, I thank the opposition—Senator Fifield and Senator Brandis, acting opposition leader in the Senate—for their cooperation. I also thank the Greens and the Independents for their cooperation in working our way out of the little procedural conundrum we ended up in. I do appreciate the cooperation of the chamber.

Question agreed to.