Helen Kroger (Victoria, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

At the request of Senator Parry, I move:

(1) That:

(a) standing orders 55(1), 57(1)(d) and 59 be modified as follows to provide for the consideration of general business orders of the day relating to bills on Thursdays from 9.30 am for not more than 2 hours and 20 minutes; and

(b) this order operate as a temporary order until 30 June 2015 with effect from 7 July 2014.

Stephen Parry (Tasmania, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

As Chair of the Procedure Committee, I wish to inform the Senate that there is one important difference in the temporary order proposed compared to the current temporary order which is not readily evident when you read the temporary order. There will no longer be a prohibition on divisions taking place before 12.30 pm. In other words, divisions may take place from the commencement of the Senate at 10 am on each Monday. The Procedure Committee agreed that the postponement of divisions called between these times was no longer appropriate and that the Senate should be able to conduct its business on the presumption that divisions could occur in all but the most limited of circumstances.

Question agreed to.