Ian Macdonald (Queensland, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I object to that, and I seek leave to make a 30-second statement to indicate why.

Leave granted.

Thank you, Mr President. I have been advised of this meeting. Three of my colleagues from Queensland who have been regular participants in the meeting have not yet received the draft report and have not been advised of meetings in recent times. For that reason, I object.

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Macdonald, the question is: would you like the motion to be put? Any senator can request for the motion to be put.

Ian Macdonald (Queensland, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I would ask for that, Mr President. That is the procedure?

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Yes. Every senator has the right to have these motions put. This is just an automatic consideration of the extension of the right for any senator to have the motion put.

The question is that the select committee, as the Clerk indicated, be authorised to meet during the sitting of the Senate today.

Claire Moore (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Women) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Clearly, we are in support of this motion, but as we are waiting for the newly-appointed Senator Gallagher to come in could we defer the actual division until after that occurs?

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I am at the will of the Senate: is the Senate happy for this division to be deferred? Yes? We will consider this matter immediately after the swearing-in of the new senator.

Ian Macdonald (Queensland, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It suits the Labor Party.

Claire Moore (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Women) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It just shows good manners, Ian.

Doug Cameron (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Human Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Why are you so cranky all the time, Ian?

Honourable senators interjecting—

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! On both sides! Senators—I thought we had some goodwill emerging just a moment ago.

The question before the chair just prior to the swearing in of Senator Gallagher was that the Select Committee on Certain Aspects of Queensland Government Administration be authorised to meet during the sittings of the Senate today. I will put the question again.

The question is that the Queensland select committee be authorised to meet during the sittings of the Senate today.

Question agreed to.

Barry O'Sullivan (Queensland, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I seek leave to make a one-minute statement.

Leave granted.

There has been much said recently in this place about continued abuses of processes, and that motion just gave effect, I think, to a departure from what have been reasonable standards here concerning the conduct of these committees.

Honourable senators interjecting—

Let me finish. It is uncomfortable listening, because you have just given effect to it.

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

To the chair, Senator O'Sullivan.

Barry O'Sullivan (Queensland, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, we have had a situation where many of us stakeholders from my state have attended and participated in this committee process, and yet we are excluded from notification about the potential of this meeting. We have not seen the draft report, which is a courtesy normally extended to those who have shown interest in a matter and participated, and now we have had a motion by this place to give force to that—a motion that cannot give effect. The time had expired before the motion gave effect, and so I think we should— (Time expired)

Claire Moore (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Women) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, on a point of order, we did give leave for Senator O'Sullivan's statement and we allowed it to continue, but I do believe that was a reflection on a decision of this chamber.

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Moore, it has to be an unparliamentary or adverse reflection upon a decision of the Senate.

Stephen Conroy (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

What was it?

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order!

Stephen Conroy (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

That had to be an adverse reflection.

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! Senator Conroy, I am not going to argue with you from the chair, and I do not believe there is a point of order from Senator Moore.

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, on the same point of order, perhaps you could reflect on the Hansard to consider whether or not it was in fact adverse.

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I do not need to do that, Senator Wong, and I did consult with the Clerk also during Senator O'Sullivan's speech, and I am satisfied that it was not out of order.

Ian Macdonald (Queensland, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I raise a point of order. The motion that has just been passed was concluded after the time scheduled for the meeting that it related to. I am the one government-voting member on that committee. I have received notice of the meeting; my colleagues have not. But I am still here in the chamber as the meeting allegedly is happening. But the meeting could not happen—that is my point of order—because, at the time the meeting should have commenced, everyone was in this chamber dealing with a motion before the chair. I make the point, Mr President, that if you do not agree with me on this matter then, by the time I get there, the meeting will probably be concluded, and that will be typical of the farcical nature of this committee from day one.

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Senator Macdonald. I will take that as more of a point of clarification as well as a point of order.

Opposition senators interjecting—

Order on my left! In relation to what you have raised, my understanding is that the wording of the motion is to meet 'from', not 'at', so it is quite in order.