Jordon Steele-John (WA, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I seek leave to move a motion to extend the consideration of the Mitochondrial Donation Law Reform (Maeve's Law) Bill 2021 to 5 pm.

Leave not granted.

I move:

That so much of standing orders be suspended as would prevent me from moving this motion.

Here is where we sit tonight. This law, opening the gateway to vital medical research, that has been subject to debate in the chamber, is now about to come to a close without resolution because of the previous decisions of this chamber in relation to the organisation of the business of this place. I seek, in moving this motion today, not to constrain any senator in making a contribution to what is a conscience vote. I simply move here to allow the time necessary for that debate to conclude and for a vote on the legislation finally to be taken before the Senate rises at the end of this parliamentary day. Let us not have a situation where this law passes because we have run out of time, when it is totally within the powers of this chamber to grant ourselves additional time to consider this legislation.

My motion here would grant an additional hour of time to debate, plenty of time to get through the three remaining amendments and vote finally on the law as it would then stand, giving clarity and certainty to all of those in this debate who are concerned by this issue. There are many other matters before the chamber; however, I would note that our colleagues in the House sat until two o'clock in the morning yesterday debating an issue of legislation. Let us not leave any impression that we are not willing to sit and do our jobs to get legislation important to our communities through this place. So let us stay here in this debate, let us finish what we have started and let us give certainty and clarity to all those concerned by the outcome of this legislation. I commend—no, I beseech this motion to the chamber.

Simon Birmingham (SA, Liberal Party, Minister for Finance) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I deeply wish to see this legislation pass. The government provided government business time for legislation that is receiving a conscience vote. We listed it as the first item of government business on Tuesday and provided all of the government business time available on Tuesday for its consideration. We, with the cooperation of the chamber, also provided additional time on Tuesday night for the Senate to continue its consideration of this bill. We then also provided extended sitting hours through negotiation with other parties last night for consideration of the bill and, of course, listed it as the first item of government business and, again through negotiation with other parties, provided additional time this afternoon for debate in what would otherwise have ordinarily been general business debating time. I want to acknowledge that there has been cooperation across the chamber to provide additional time for debate of this bill. I don't want to cast any aspersions on any individuals that have contributed at various lengths to the bill. I have certainly tried to keep my contributions as short and sharp as possible to keep things moving. Noting that I think it is unlikely that the extra half an hour you propose, Senator Steele-John, would have enabled all of the remaining amendments to be considered and debated in the way in which such sensitive topics should be handled for the conclusion of the bill, I would provide the commitment that we will seek to manage the program in the next sitting week in a way that provides sufficient time to try to conclude this matter. I hope that we will receive sufficient cooperation around the chamber to be able to do that in terms of giving up some of the other parts of the business or enabling additional hours, as you say, at a time when it is possible for individuals to do.

I appreciate very much, as I said, the sentiments you are making. I am committed, and many others are committed, to seeing this bill come into law, but I am also committed, on what is a highly sensitive topic with serious ethical and moral considerations for individuals around the chamber that cross party lines, to ensuring that, as with previous conscience votes on matters of this nature, people have all the time they need to be able to thoroughly ventilate their concerns on the issues that are raised in a manner befitting proper parliamentary debate.

Kristina Keneally (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise to make a short contribution on behalf of the Australian Labor Party, and that is first of all to acknowledge the words of the Leader of the Government in the Senate, Senator Birmingham, both his respect and his thoughtful consideration of the way in which we have all approached this conscience vote. I think that that is a tone that has been set by Senator Birmingham in his handling of the legislation, and so I thank him for that. I think the debate has been conducted respectfully, carefully and thoughtfully and it has recognised that people come to a conscience vote with strong views on both sides, formed by their ethical convictions, their work experience, their own research, their consultation with their constituents and the like. Therefore, the respectful tone of that is acknowledged.

I also acknowledge Senator Birmingham's commitment that the bill will come back to the chamber upon the next sitting week and that time will be allocated, and that he will work with other parties in the chamber to ensure that time is allocated, so that the bill can be brought to a conclusion. So I thank him for his commitment there. On that basis, and in consideration of the lateness of the hour, the sensitivity of the bill, the necessity to ensure people can participate fully in the debate and the necessity for this chamber to pass other legislation, including the appropriations bills, as well as legislation that is required prior to the election, we will be supporting the government in their approach to this motion.

Question negatived.