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

I want to withdraw business of the Senate notice of motion No.2 to refer a bill to a committee and I seek leave to make a short statement.

Leave granted.

I understand that the preferred method of dealing with this issue is to allow the debate on the second reading of the bill during debate on private member’s bills and then refer it to a committee. I am in the hands of the Senate and that seems an appropriate way of dealing with these matters. I foreshadow that I will circulate a second reading amendment which has that effect so that the chamber is on notice. In that way everyone can then understand the process that will be adopted before we get to the Thursday private member’s bills so that there will be no surprises for the Senate.