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

I seek leave to move motion No. 1049, standing in the name of Senator Pratt relating to World Tuberculosis Day, and have it determined without amendment or debate.

Leave not granted.

Pursuant to contingent notice, I move:

That so much of the standing orders be suspended as would prevent general business notice of motion No. 1049 being moved immediately and determined without amendment or debate.

Sue Lines (WA, Deputy-President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Patrick, on a point of order?

Rex Patrick (SA, Independent) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I point out that the Senate has twice denied suspending the standing orders today and that generally prohibits—

Sue Lines (WA, Deputy-President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Patrick, please resume your seat. That's a debating point.

Senator Patrick interjecting—

Please resume your seat.

Senator Patrick interjecting—

Senator Patrick, unless you are seeking to make a further point of order, I'm ruling that to not be a point of order. Are you seeking to make a second point of order?

Rex Patrick (SA, Independent) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I'm just seeking to understand. Normally the President or the Deputy President would not permit multiple attempts to suspend the standing orders. The Senate has expressed its will—it's not willing to suspend the standing orders today.

Sue Lines (WA, Deputy-President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Patrick, the understanding is that the rulings have been to frustrate the Senate. I will now put Senator Gallagher's suspension motion. The question is that the motion moved by Senator Gallagher to suspend the standing orders be agreed to.

Question agreed to.

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

At the request of Senator Pratt, I move:

That the Senate—

(a)   notes that:

     (i) 24 March is World Tuberculosis (TB) Day, commemorating the lives lost to this disease and recognising the impacts of COVID-19 on TB services globally,

     (ii) TB remains one of the deadliest airborne infectious diseases, including 15 million deaths in the last decade,

     (iii) years of progress in fighting TB could be lost due to disruption of services from COVID-19, and

     (iv) the United Nations has reported that global targets on TB, to which Australia agreed, will not be met, and that 1.4 million more people are likely to die from TB in the next five years if urgent action is not taken;

(b) acknowledges that:

     (i) Australia's $1.1 billion of international COVID-19 support, pledges to multilateral organisations and our $242 million to the global fund will help save millions of lives,

     (ii) $13.3 million from Australia in 2019 will support antimicrobial resistance and drug-resistant TB research in the Pacific, and

     (iii) Australian investment in TB research has resulted in drug therapies that radically reduce the burden of treatment; and

(c) calls on the Government to increase investment in research and development, and Asia Pacific TB services to safeguard current progress towards meeting global targets agreed by Australia.

Question agreed to.