3rd Mar 2015, 1:06 PM – Senate Motions — To suspend standing orders to discuss the Deployment of Australian Troops

Senator Milne put forward a motion asking that the normal business of the Senate be stopped to discuss a motion relating to how Australian troop deployments are handled. The motion is to change the current system of troop deployment, which is by executive decision of the government in power, to a system that includes passing such a decision through Australia's elected representatives.

Senator Fifield Spoke against the motion citing two reasons:

The first being that he didn't feel enough notice or a good enough reason had been provided to warrant changing the proceedings for the day.

We do have an order of business in this place. We do have allocated time for government business. We do have allocated time as well for private senators' business. We do have allocated time for a range of contributions from colleagues in this place, and a very good reason always needs to be put forward if those arrangements are to be disturbed. My first point is that I do not think that the appropriate courtesies and notice have been observed in relation to this matter nor do I think a decent rationale has been put forward to change the arrangements for today.

The second and in his eyes more important reason is that he disagrees with the motion that Senator Milne wants to change the proceedings to discuss. His view is that troop deployment should remain an executive decision, although this view is not strictly relevant to the motion currently being debated.

The second and perhaps more significant reason for denying leave and opposing the motion to suspend standing orders moved my Senator Milne is the very long established convention and practice observed by both the coalition government and by also the Australian Labor Party in government—and I do not want to pre-empt whatever the Prime Minister will be saying today—that the deployment of Australian Defence Force personnel in whatever capacity and in whatever way is a decision for the executive government of the day. We do not have the system of the United States here where the congress needs to endorse or give approval to certain actions in relation to armed service personnel. We have a different system here.

Motion:

That so much of the standing orders be suspended as would prevent me moving a motion to provide for the consideration of a matter—namely, a motion relating to the deployment of Australian troops.