George Brandis (Queensland, Liberal Party, Attorney-General) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

by leave—I move:

That—

(1) The Building and Construction Industry (Improving Productivity) Amendment Bill 2017 have precedence over all government business until determined.

(2) If by 7.20 pm today, the Building and Construction Industry (Improving Productivity) Amendment Bill 2017 has not been finally considered:

  (a) the hours of meeting shall be 9.30 am to not later than midnight;

  (b) the routine of business from not later than 7.20 pm shall be government business only;

  (c) the Senate shall adjourn without debate after it has finally considered the bill or at midnight, whichever is the earlier; and

(d) if by 2 pm on Thursday, 16 February 2017, the bill has still not been finally considered:

     (i) the hours of meeting shall be 9.30 am to adjournment,

     (ii) the routine of business from not later than 8 pm shall be government business only,

     (iii) divisions may take place after 4.30 pm, and

     (iv) the Senate shall adjourn without debate after it has finally considered the bill listed above, or a motion for the adjournment is moved by a minister, whichever is the earlier.

The reason the government moves this motion is to ensure that the amendments to the ABCC Act which the bill contains are dealt with this week. This is important legislation. We have heard from the minister, Senator Cash, on many occasions the reasons why the government considers this to be important legislation. I will not detain the chamber now to rehearse the reasons—the motion is self-explanatory—but I seek the cooperation of honourable senators to ensure that this important legislation, which is a priority for the government, is determined without delay.

Katy Gallagher (ACT, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the Leader of the Government in the Senate for the comments he has just made. I move an amendment that I hope is being circulated shortly:

Omit all words after "That—", substitute:

"(1) The Parliamentary Entitlements Legislation Amendment Bill 2017 and the Independent Parliamentary Expenses Authority Bill 2017 and Independent Parliamentary Expenses Authority (Consequential Amendments) Bill 2017 have precedence over all government business until determined.

(2) If by 7.20 pm today, the Parliamentary Entitlements Legislation Amendment Bill 2017 and the Independent Parliamentary Expenses Authority Bill 2017 and Independent Parliamentary Expenses Authority (Consequential Amendments) Bill 2017 have not been finally considered:

(a) the hours of meeting shall be 9.30 am to not later than midnight;

(b) the routine of business from not later than 7.20 pm shall be government business only;

(c) the Senate shall adjourn without debate after it has finally considered the bills or at midnight, whichever is the earlier; and

(d) if by 2 pm on Thursday, 16 February 2017, the bills have still not been finally considered:

(i) the hours of meeting shall be 9.30 am to adjournment,

(ii) the routine of business from not later than 8 pm shall be government business only,

(iii) divisions may take place after 4.30 pm, and

(iv) the Senate shall adjourn without debate after it has finally considered the bills listed above, or a motion for the adjournment is moved by a minister, whichever is the earlier.

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

The amendment has not been circulated. Is it something you can just articulate briefly, Senator Gallagher?

Katy Gallagher (ACT, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you. I was hopeful that it had been circulated. The amendment that I seek to move to the motion is to give precedence to the Parliamentary Entitlements Legislation Amendment Bill 2017, the Independent Parliamentary Expenses Authority Bill 2017 and the Independent Parliamentary Expenses Authority (Consequential Amendments) Bill 2017 over all other government business until determined. There are also some changes to paragraph (2) of Senator Brandis's motion, inserting those three bills and giving them precedence above other government business.

The reason we are doing this is that it allows these bills to be dealt with this week as well. We acknowledge the government's priorities, but the Leader of the Opposition, Bill Shorten, has made it very clear that he would like to see reform in this area. The community would like to see reform in relation to parliamentary expenses. It has taken some time to get to this point. We have seen a number of scandals involving members of the government that have required this legislation to be brought forward. It has been debated in the House, and it is only right that we deal with this legislation in this sitting week. We want to make sure that these bills are dealt with. There is the chance that, if the motion is supported without this amendment, that will not be the case and these bills will then be held over until the March sitting.

This amendment would still allow for other government business to be dealt with within the extended hours that the government seek, but it would prioritise these bills, and I think the community expects this. We have seen a lot of commentary around the need to reform the entitlements of members of parliament, and this amendment—hopefully with the support of other senators in this place—will ensure that that debate happens, and then we can proceed with other government business over the next two days.

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

The government does not support the amendment moved by the opposition, not because we do not support efforts to deal with the package of parliamentary entitlement reform bills through the Senate efficiently this week but because the government's priority today is to deal with the Building and Construction Industry (Improving Productivity) Amendment Bill 2017 first. We do not want to delay the passage of this important productivity-enhancing bill in any way. That is why the government will be voting against this amendment. However, should this motion pass unamended, and once the Building and Construction Industry (Improving Productivity) Amendment Bill 2017 is dealt with, I foreshadow on behalf of the government that it is our intention to move a further, separate motion tomorrow to ensure that we can deal with the package of parliamentary entitlements reform bills before the Senate rises tomorrow.

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

The question is that the amendment moved by Senator Gallagher to the motion moved by Senator Brandis to vary the routine of business be agreed to.

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

The question now is that the motion moved by Senator Brandis to vary the routine of business be agreed to.