Chapter 8 - Conduct
of proceedings
Curtailment
of non-government business
The Senate sometimes dispenses with some or all of the
elements of general business on Thursdays, usually to devote more time to
government business.
(See Supplement)
If general
business is dispensed with in advance by special order on Thursdays, government
business automatically occurs at that time. This is because standing order 59 provides that general business takes
precedence over government business at the time provided on Thursdays, but does
not require that only general business be considered at that time. (Business of
the Senate takes precedence over both.) If, however, general business is not
dispensed with by special order but is called on and concludes early, the
consideration of committee reports then occurs and the question for the
adjournment is then proposed in accordance with standing order 54(4). Dispensing with any element of
business on Thursdays after the commencement of general business has the same
effect of the adjournment being proposed early. The basis of this distinction
is that, once general business has commenced, there is no provision in the
routine of business for government business to be resumed, and there is
therefore an expectation that there will be no further government business
considered that day. (See Supplement)
If consideration
of government documents at 6.50
pm on Tuesdays and
Wednesdays is dispensed with by special order this results in the business
before the Senate at 6.50 pm running to 7.20 pm.
The basis of this is that there is then nothing to prevent the continuation of
that business, and there is no possibility of senators being caught unawares by
the resumption of business as there is on Thursdays.
On the same
basis, if general business and consideration of committee reports are both
dispensed with by special order together and in advance of their commencement, government
business runs to 8 pm.
If there are no
orders of the day relating to committee reports or government documents but consideration
of them is not dispensed with by order, this is regarded as the equivalent of
the item being called on and concluding early.
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