Chapter 9 - Motions
and amendments
Formal motions
An opportunity is
provided in the routine of business of the Senate for motions of which notice
has been given to be put and determined without debate or amendment, provided
that no senator present objects to that course. When notice of a motion has
been given for a particular day, at the time provided on that day a senator may
ask that the motion be taken as formal. If no senator present objects, the
motion is then moved, put and determined without debate or amendment. This
process is called “discovery of formal business”. This procedure provides a
means whereby senators may seek to have their motions determined without
waiting for the notice of the motions to be reached in the normal course of
proceedings, subject to the concurrence of all senators present, and at the
price of forgoing debate on the motion.
A motion may be
divided under standing order 84(3) and one part
of it determined as a formal motion (28/5/1996, J.241-2).
While most motions taken as formal are uncontroversial and are agreed
to, some are negatived and some are taken to a division.
For consideration
of the use of the formal motions procedure, see SD, 27/3/2003,
pp 10334-8; 30/10/2003, pp 17222-8; Procedure Committee, 1st
Report of 2004, PP 82/2004.
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