12th Nov 2020, 12:21 PM – Senate Business - Senate Temporary Orders - Minor party and independent motions

The majority voted against a motion introduced by Queensland Senator Larissa Waters (Greens), which means it failed.

Motion text

That paragraph (a) of the temporary order agreed to on 18 June 2020 relating to the consideration of formal motions be varied to provide that:

(a) minor party and independent senators are entitled to six motions per day;

(b) senators can make (or have made on their behalf) more than one request for formality in any sitting week;

(c) orders for the production of documents are excluded from the restrictions under the temporary order; and

(d) motions not determined on the day that they are listed for consideration will be re-listed on the next sitting day.

For information, the amended order would read as follows:

(a) at the end of standing order 66, add:

(5) The following additional requirements apply to the consideration of general business notices of motion as formal motions:

(a) no more than 14 motions may be dealt with as formal motions on any sitting day, comprising no more than four proposed by government senators, four proposed by opposition senators, and six proposed by minor party and independent senators;

(b) the motions to be considered shall be notified to the President;

(c) the allocation of motions to be taken as formal amongst minor party and independent senators each day shall be determined by the President and, across the course of a sitting week, be nearly as practicable proportional to the numbers of those minor party and independent senators in the Senate; and

(d) motions not determined on the day they are listed for consideration shall be re-listed for consideration the next day of sitting (in addition to the motions allocated for that day).

(6) The restrictions in paragraph (5) do not apply in respect of motions for the consideration of legislation (including the introduction of bills), orders for the production of documents or the conduct of Senate or committee business (including the appointment of a select committee).